The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business

The Omoda and Jaecoo Philippines network gets bigger as the Philman Motors, covering the General Trias, Cavite area, and Goldfield Motors, covering the Iloilo City area, joined its aggressive and strategic expansion plan with the inauguration of their respective brand-new dealerships. These bring Omoda and Jaecoo Philippines’ total dealerships to 2 in Luzon, 3 in Metro Manila, 2 in Visayas, …

The Philippine peso held firm against the U.S. dollar on Friday, even as the local stock market edged lower on persistent concerns over newly announced U.S. tariffs. The peso closed at P56.47 against the greenback, slightly stronger after opening at P56.55. It traded within a narrow range of P56.49 to P56.55, with an average rate of P56.46. Trading volume slipped …

MANILA — In a landmark move that underscores a shared commitment to service and social justice, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM), and National Power Corporation (NPC) have signed a tripartite agreement to resolve the long-standing issue of unremitted premium contributions amounting to over P1 billion. GSIS President and General Manager Jose …

Consumers will see higher electricity bills this July after the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) announced a P0.49 per kilowatt-hour rate hike, driven by rising generation charges brought about by surging global oil prices and the weakening of the Philippine peso. The increase follows a cumulative P0.8575/kWh drop in power rates over the past two months. For typical residential users consuming …

In a move to curb excessive gambling exposure in public spaces, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has ordered the immediate removal of all billboards and out-of-home (OOH) advertisements promoting gambling. In a memorandum issued on July 7, PAGCOR directed all licensees, suppliers, system administrators, and gaming venue operators to dismantle gambling-related ad materials—including those displayed on trains, buses, …

The Philippine office leasing market maintained its robust momentum in the first half of 2025, with demand already reaching 67% of the full-year total recorded in 2024—despite the exit of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), real estate advisory firm Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC) reported last week. “Demand has been strong for the first half of the year. We believe it …

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its financing arm Small Business Corporation (SBCorp), has disbursed a total of P4.22 million in loans to 24 women entrepreneurs under the Women’s Enterprise Fund (WEF), aimed at empowering women-owned small businesses across the country. The initial batch of recipients will use the loans to start or expand their ventures, including variety …

The share of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the Philippine banking system slightly declined in May 2025, signaling early signs of improving credit conditions, according to data released Friday by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The NPL ratio eased to 3.38% in May, down from 3.39% in April and notably lower than the 3.57% recorded in the same month last …

Net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to the Philippines rose by 7.1% year-on-year in April 2025, reaching USD610 million from USD570 million a year earlier, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported Thursday. The increase was driven primarily by higher investments in debt instruments by non-resident investors, which surged by 24.3% to USD522 million from USD420 million in April 2024. …

The FinTech Alliance Philippines has thrown its full support behind the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) enhanced regulatory framework aimed at promoting the responsible use of digital financial services in licensed online gaming platforms. In a statement, FinTech Alliance founding chair Lito Villanueva acknowledged the growing concerns from the public and various sectors about the potential social risks of online …