Business

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to continue easing its monetary policy in the second half of 2025 as slowing inflation gives room for more rate cuts, Fitch Solutions unit BMI said in a report Thursday. BMI projected the BSP’s benchmark policy rate to fall to 4.75 percent by yearend, from the current level, as inflation cooled to …

Filipinos’ credit perception index (CPI) score remained broadly stable this year, supported by strong foundational knowledge of credit and modest gains in trust toward financial products, TransUnion Philippines said last week. In its latest annual study, the company reported that the general population’s CPI score stood at 73 out of 100 in 2025, almost unchanged from last year’s 74. The …

Contecon Manzanillo, International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) operation in the Port of Manzanillo, Mexico, is enhancing its logistics offering with the introduction of WAN HAI Lines’ Asia-South America West Coast 2 (WSA2) service. The service made its inaugural call at Contecon on August 11 with the arrival of the vessel WAN HAI A16. Also known as the Asia-South America (ASA) …

The Philippine government is pressing the Trump administration to spare its semiconductor industry from a planned 100% US tariff on imported chips, calling the move a potential blow to a sector that powers much of the country’s exports. Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez described the White House plan as “very disturbing” during the US-ASEAN Business Council meeting in …

Gasoline prices are expected to increase this week while diesel prices may go down, driven by benchmark market movements, shifting demand, and external developments. Jetti Petroleum president Leo Bellas said Friday that gasoline could go up by P0.40 to P0.60 per liter, while diesel may drop by P0.70 to P0.90 per liter. “MOPS prices have seesawed during the first four …

Vehicle sales in the Philippines grew by 1.4% year-on-year in July 2025, with industry leaders confident of meeting full-year growth targets despite weather-related disruptions. Data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed 269,207 units sold from January to July, up from 265,610 in the same period last year. However, …

A P4-billion waste-to-energy facility will soon rise in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac, under a deal between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and Indian engineering firm Uttamenergy Limited. The 12-megawatt plant, set for completion within two years, will process 600 metric tons of waste daily—including bottom and fly ash—generating electricity for about 10,000 households. It is also expected …

Ayala Land Hospitality is teaming up with global hotel giant Hilton to open the Philippines’ first Canopy by Hilton in Makati City by 2026. Rising above the new One Ayala development, the 24-story hotel will offer 400 rooms and suites designed to blend sleek urban escapes with spacious accommodations. Ayala Land Hospitality president and CEO George Aquino said the collaboration …

The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has raised its transmission rate for the July billing period following the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) approval of under-recoveries and its maximum allowable revenue (MAR). The transmission charge rose to P0.5923 per kilowatt hour (kWh) from P0.4611 in June. While ancillary services rates dipped to P0.5872/kWh from P0.6182, the overall average transmission …

Berong Nickel Corporation (BNC), a subsidiary of DMCI Mining, has signed a mineral production sharing agreement (MPSA) with the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) for its Long Point property in Aborlan, Palawan. The deal, inked on August 8, covers 2,177.34 hectares and grants BNC exclusive rights to explore, develop, and utilize mineral resources in the area for an initial 25-year …