By Riza Lozada The Philippine Business Bank (PBB) is targeting to increase its reach in the country through a merger with Insular Savers Bank Inc. (Isbi) and the acquisition of Bataan Savings and Loan Inc. PBB informed the Philippine Stock Exchange that it will hold a special stockholders meeting on December 18 to seek approval for the planned acquisition and …

Malayan Insurance, the country’s No. 1 non-life insurance company, together with Willis Limited, an insurance broking and risk consultancy firm, recently conducted a forum on the fundamentals of art insurance. 

By Jerry Maglunog Two of the country’s leading universal banks—Banco de Oro (BDO) and UnionBank of the Philippines (UnionBank)—have just started alliances with other banks.

Lima, Peru—The biggest risks to the global economy are now in emerging markets, where private companies have racked up considerable debt amid a fifth straight year of slowing growth, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said. 

Kathmandu, Nepal—Struggling with a fuel shortage after Indian shipments went on hold, Nepal is asking suppliers to bring gasoline and kerosene by airplane before the Himalayan country begins celebrating its biggest festival of the year, and for the first time is looking to import fuel from China. 

Washington—Hillary Rodham Clinton’s private e-mail server, which stored some 55,000 pages of e-mails from her time as secretary of state, was the subject of attempted cyberattacks originating in China, South Korea and Germany after she left office in early 2013, according to a congressional document obtained by The Associated Press. 

Beijing—The time could not have been more hostile for Chinese scientists. Research came to a virtual halt and intellectuals were routinely persecuted. But Tu Youyou, then a 39-year-old researcher, was summoned to join a secretive military project during the Cultural Revolution to find a cure for malaria for soldiers in North Vietnam. 

Net capital flows to emerging markets in 2015 will be negative for the first time since 1988, the Institute of International Finance (IIF) said in a report. 

Globe Telecom Inc. has signed a 10-year, P5-billion and seven-year term loan with Metrobank, which it intends to use for capital expenditures (capex). 

By Riza Lozada Postharvest losses of the fishery sector is estimated at P20 billion a year, but this can be mitigated through the strict implementation of the Republic Act 10654 that limits commercial fishing, Dennis Calvan, executive director of NGOs (non-governmental organizations) for Fisheries Reform Inc., said.