The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has cited several “problematic factors” hampering the Philippines’ business environment, even as it reported that the country rose five places to the 47th spot in the recent World Economic Forum-Global Competitive Index (WEF-GCI). 

By Riza Lozada  The government, finally heeding the growing demand to lower the cost of electricity—reputed to be the highest among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)—has announced a plan that requires power distributors to hire foreign auction managers who would make sure that electricity is bought from suppliers at the lowest price. 

By Jerry Maglunog The country’s growing population of 101.6 million, with an average that puts the majority at working age, or what the government calls the “demographic sweet spot,” is among the primary reasons investors are starting to flock to the country. 

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. 

Subic Bay International Container Terminal Corp. (SBITC), a unit of global port operator International Container Terminal Services Inc.(ICTSI), recently received and commissioned three new reach stackers and 16 new Kalmar Ottawa terminal tractors. 

End-of-season deep discounts on summer clothes as autumn creeps in have triggered in me wishful thinking again about Aling Norma’s itinerant home-service hemming and alteration services in Pureza, Sta. Mesa, where we used to live. 

By Teresa Cerojano / The Associated Press Thousands of Filipino children, some as young as 9 years old, risk their lives by working in illegal, small-scale gold mines under terrifying conditions and the government has not done enough to protect them, a human- rights group said last Wednesday. 

Barely a week before the official filing of the certificates of candidacy, politicians of all stripes are scrambling to cobble together their respective groups that, hopefully, would be most palatable to voters by the time elections roll around in May next year.