The bourse index surged to a fresh all-time high last Friday, its 19th record for this year, on the back of good earnings reports and tracking the uptrend in the United States market.

Listed International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) reported a consolidated profit of $182 million, up six percent from the $172.4 million profit a year ago.

Jerry Maglunog Most rural banks (RBs) collapse due to mismanagement and cruel dynasty led by kin who run the bank, according to Sen. Sergio Osmena III, chairman of the Senate Committee on Banks and Financial Institutions.

Beijing — China announced a lower economic growth target for this year and promised to open more industries to foreign investors as it tries to make its slowing, state-dominated economy more productive.

Washington—As the Great Recession inflicted worsening damage on the US economy, the Federal Reserve struggled during 2009 to determine the best corrective steps to pursue.

London—The British government has agreed to sell its stake in Eurostar, the high-speed rail service that connects London with Paris and Brussels through a tunnel under the English Channel, for 757 million pounds ($1.1 billion), a move that’s prompted accusations that it is selling the family silver.

Canberra, Australia—Australian authorities are clamping down on wealthy foreigners illegally buying real estate, ordering a Chinese billionaire to sell a Sydney mansion he recently bought for $30 million, a minister said on Wednesday. The billionaire, Hui Ka Yan, 56, is chairman of Hong Kong-listed real estate developer Evergrande Real Estate Group, which is based in Guangzhou, China. He is listed …

Riza Lozada The Philippines does not plan to revise soon its existing rules on bank deposit secrecy, according to the Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Riza Lozada The Mindanao grid is considered power deficient for the second straight month due to plant outages causing millions of pesos in business losses.

Beirut—Little known to the wider world 18 months ago, the Islamic State extremist group has muscled its way into the international spotlight by carving out a self-declared caliphate in the heart of the Mideast, beheading its opponents and foreign journalists, and attracting radicalized youth as far afield as Paris, London and New York.