The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

By Riza Lozada The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is pushing for a lower minimum float public requirement of real estate investment trusts (REIT) at 33 percent from the current 40 percent to encourage property ownership and promote development of the capital market.

The controlling stakes of businessman Roberto V. Ongpin at PhilWeb Corp. was sold to the company of Gregorio Ma. Araneta for about P2 billion, PhilWeb reported to the stock exchange.

In an effort to bring the services closer to the public, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and SM Prime Holdings, Inc. on Tuesday signed a memorandum of agreement allowing the LTO to occupy a space for the Drivers License Renewal Center (DLRC) in various SM malls free of charge.

Asia’s Emerging Dragon Corp. (AEDC) of the Lucio Tan Group will submit an offer for the redevelopment of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) under the government’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme.

Local brands were declared winners in the recent prestigious World Branding Award 2016 at a gala dinner held at Kensington Palace in London, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.

By Riza Lozada The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said rules on the trading of derivatives will be improved as part of measures to increase the capacity of the domestic financial system. BSP Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr., in a speech during the Philippine International Banking Convention at Shang-ri La last Friday, said the BSP is continuously doing its best …

Preliminary Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed that the country’s gross international reserves (GIR) rose to $85.90 billion by the end of September.

Fifty-six companies in the stock exchange are compliant with Islamic banking practice or Shari’ah based on a quarterly screening ending September by the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).

BPI Family Savings Bank, BPI’s retail lending arm, was named the Best Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Bank at the 10th Annual Best Financial Institution Awards organized by Alpha Southeast Asia Publishing in ceremonies held at the Conrad Centennial Singapore.

The Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee (ICC-CabCom) has approved seven projects, six of which are regional projects seen to disperse development and re-balance national economic growth to the regions.