Philippine financial markets are heading into the week on a cautious footing as renewed threats by Iran to potentially close the Strait of Hormuz inject fresh volatility into global oil supply expectations and inflation outlooks, according to Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort.
The Philippine stock market is navigating a mixed outlook as the PSEi contends with renewed foreign selling, offset partially by improving domestic investor sentiment and anticipated foreign inflows into the local bond market.
Philippine financial markets are expected to remain fragile this week, with investors bracing for continued volatility as risk aversion dominates sentiment and the benchmark index struggles to regain footing above key levels.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slid 1.3 percent to 6,384.58, extending profit-taking for a second session after touching seven- to nine-month highs. Even so, the benchmark remains comfortably above the 6,000 mark, keeping the broader uptrend intact and suggesting the pullback is more consolidation than reversal.
The Philippine automotive market is beginning to look like a family reunion where everybody has arrived in a different vehicle, but everyone wants to talk about electricity. There are fully electric sedans, plug-in hybrid pickups, hybrid SUVs, and battery-powered crossovers competing for attention. The gasoline engine has not been invited to leave, but it is beginning to notice that the conversation has changed.
Tereso Panga is ending 28 years at the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), citing more than 100,000 jobs created during his leadership as his most meaningful contribution to the investment promotion agency.
The Aurora Pacific Economic Zone and Freeport Authority (APECO) has secured P177 million in government assistance to prepare a feasibility study for a proposed international seaport in Casiguran, a project envisioned to turn Aurora into a gateway for manufacturing, logistics and Pacific trade.
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) is targeting about P165 billion in additional investment partnerships within three months, expanding its development pipeline in agriculture, energy and aviation while seeking to turn rising private-sector interest into sustained government revenues and jobs.