The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

ABS-CBN Music officially welcomed nine up-and-coming singers who will serve as the voice of the new gen through the “StarPop Ink Drop 2025” contract signing event held at the ABS-CBN Dolphy Theater. Annrain.  Bryan Chong, Drei Sugay, Enzo Almario, Janah Zaplan,JEL REY, Justin Mclaire, Kanishia Santos, and Misha De Leon inked their respective recording contracts with StarPop, the launch pad …

Ford Philippines officially entered the new electric vehicle market with the unveiling of its two newest vehicles last week – the all-new Mustang Mach-E and new Territory Hybrid — at the Ford Island Conquest at the Bonifacio Global City Amphitheater in Taguig City. The All-New Mustang Mach-E and New Territory Hybrid spearheaded the Ford vehicle line-up on display during the …

The Gateway Motors Group has taken over the operations of the Mercedes-Benz Cebu last Aug. 1 after it was appointed by the IC Star Automotive as the new principal dealer in the province. Gateway is a stalwart in the local automotive industry and it is in Cebu where it started their initial operations. IC Star Automotive, meanwhile, is the official …

Kicks off national multi-city training tour in partnership with LGUs, starting in Mandaluyong and completing the first 10 stops by December 2025 Manila, Philippines, August 07, 2025 — Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Brazil, has launched the 2025 Tatak Pinoy MSME Training Roadshow, a nationwide initiative designed to help more Filipino MSMEs succeed online. Launched …

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) last week stood firm behind its ₱1-billion investment in DigiPlus Interactive Corp., insisting that the state pension fund remains “strong, secure, and actuarially sound” despite growing criticism and heightened congressional scrutiny. In a statement, GSIS welcomed the public interest in its investment decisions and expressed readiness to submit all pertinent documents to regulators. “We …

Filipinos can expect a more sustainable yet far-reaching Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na! program as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced a possible reduction in government subsidies—thanks to the steady improvement of local rice production. In the latest episode of the BBM Podcast aired last week, the President said the government’s support for the flagship rice initiative is becoming more …

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. revealed that the Philippines is in the process of acquiring more BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles from India as part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ modernization efforts and its push to strengthen regional defense capabilities. In a televised interview with India’s Firstpost aired last week, Marcos said the need for additional BrahMos systems came …

The Senate last week voted to archive the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, following a Supreme Court ruling that declared the case “null and void from the beginning” and ruled that the Senate never acquired jurisdiction over it. With 19 senators voting in favor, four against, and one abstaining, the chamber approved a motion by Senator Rodante …

More Filipinos are landing jobs as the country’s labor market continues to show strong momentum, according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma last week welcomed the latest Labor Force Survey results from the Philippine Statistics Authority, which showed the employment rate rising to 96.3 percent in June, up from 96.1 percent in May.  The …

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has smashed its goal of registering one million new voters for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE)—and it did so in record time. Comelec Chairperson George Garcia announced last week that the poll body exceeded the target just five days into the 10-day registration period. “Based on our estimate, we have more than …