A clear divide has opened up in Hong Kong’s property market in recent months: sales of new-build homes have surged, but the recovery in the secondary market has remained far more modest. The contrast between the two segments is not a coincidence – and is likely to persist for some time, according to analysts. The trend is largely being driven by developers slashing prices on new-builds to clear their inventories ahead of expected interest rate rises in the coming months. This is making new homes...

The National Food Authority (NFA) said on Sunday that it is targeting to procure up to 500,000 metric tons (MT) of palay (unhusked rice) this ongoing harvest season.

ASEAN faces growing geopolitical risks requiring better crisis coordination for non-combatant evacuations, especially amid potential Taiwan Strait conflict. Existing mechanisms focus on disasters, not evacuations. Recommendations include moderating expectations, choosing centralized/decentralized approaches, leveraging limited resources, learning from past operations, and starting with small, incremental improvements to build momentum.

Japanese semiconductor materials giant Sumitomo Bakelite plans to expand production of advanced chip packaging materials in China and Singapore, marking the second such announcement for its Chinese operations in less than four months as artificial intelligence drives demand for more sophisticated semiconductors. The Tokyo-based company said on Friday that it would add production lines for mould underfill (MUF) materials and compression-moulding granules at its facilities in Suzhou, eastern...

MANILA, Philippines — Ayala Corp., the Philippines’ oldest conglomerate, has spent decades building businesses big enough to stand on their own. Now, it wants to give them a stronger reason to stand together. READ: The infrastructure that builds people A pioneering bank, an iconic property developer, a growing telecommunications company and a dominant fintech platform can

MANILA, Philippines — Addressing the 2026 graduating class of the University of Batangas (UB), Francisco “Paco” Magsaysay had one lesson to share with the young people who would be leaving the comfort and relative predictability of the academe for the uncertainty of the real and wider world. Resilience, said Magsaysay, the third in his family to

MANILA, Philippines — Forty years after finding its way into Filipino homes, Hanabishi is looking for a place in those of a new generation. What Jose and Conchita Ong began as a simple family business selling flat irons has grown into one of the Philippines’ more diverse and accessible appliance brands, becoming a staple in

Groundbreaking land-renewal policies recently announced in Guangzhou and Shanghai represent a step forward in stabilising China’s commercial property market and shoring up investors’ confidence amid Beijing’s efforts to revive the real estate industry, according to officials and industry analysts. The new rules governing the leasing of land for commercial and industrial use will also facilitate the issuance of exchange-traded real estate investment trusts (Reits), a financing tool that...

MANILA, Philippines — Consumers may have to brace for even higher power rates, as the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has approved Manila Electric Co.’s (Meralco) rate reset after more than a decade. In its decision, the ERC set a total revenue requirement of about P342 billion over the four years, a significant 36-percent cut from

Executive Secretary Ralph Recto has urged government agencies to accelerate spending in the remaining months of 2026, particularly on programs to prepare for El Niño, his office said Saturday.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) directed regional development councils (RDCs) to start reviewing and prioritizing projects as they prepare for the 2028 national budget. Consequently, they must submit endorsed proposals to national agencies by mid-December. The DBM and the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) have issued joint guidelines

The Natural Resources Development Corporation (NRDC), the corporate arm of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is launching an initiative to rehabilitate degraded forestlands and turn them into productive agricultural and forestry estates through private sector investments.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Saturday announced that it had approved Manila Electric Company"s (Meralco) regulatory rate reset for the first time in more than a decade.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) announced on Saturday that a daily minimum wage increase of up to P45 has been approved for workers in the CALABARZON region.

Cryptocurrency’s promise of financial freedom carries a cost the industry must confront: growing wealth can make its owners more attractive targets for violent criminals. Protecting digital assets while treating the physical safety of their holders as a personal matter is an inadequate approach to financial security. The industry must take responsibility for designing products and services which account for the reality that people can be threatened into surrendering their assets. The rise in...

Gen Z high-net-worth collectors have overtaken older generations as the art market’s biggest spenders, with average fine art expenditure more than twice that of older collectors, helping drive a global sales rebound to nearly US$60 billion, according to the latest Art Basel and UBS market insights. The surge came as mainland China and Hong Kong continued to play pivotal roles in the global art market’s growth, according to the Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2026, released earlier...

MANILA, Philippines — Diesel products are on track for three consecutive weeks of rollbacks, while gasoline prices are expected to increase anew on Oct. 13. In an advisory on Friday, Jetti Petroleum president Leo Bellas said diesel prices may decrease by P1.80 to P2 per liter, while gasoline may rise by P2 to P2.20 per

The Department of Budget and Management on Saturday shed light on the concept of national budgeting, saying that the National Expenditure Program is not akin to available cash in a vault.

Developer Golden TW Realty and Development Corp. announced Saturday a strategic partnership with restaurant group RVD, securing established Asian dining brands Chung Dam and Umi Matsu for Kaban Hotel and Casino, the first hotel-casino in Boracay Island.

MANILA, Philippines —˜The Marcos administration has raised P167.25 billion in new money from its 32nd retail Treasury bond (RTB) offering, exceeding its P150-billion target after a weeklong offer period. Initially, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) set a P30-billion target in its notice of offering before raising it to P150 billion during the launch. READ:

MANILA, Philippines — The strong reception for GCash parent Mynt Inc.’s initial public offering (IPO) is drawing investors’ attention beyond the fintech giant, with some now looking at other Philippine companies. On Friday, Mynt chief financial officer Evelyn Ng said a handful of investors they had spoken with were beginning to explore investment opportunities elsewhere in

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will adopt an international bond pricing convention on Jan. 4, 2027, covering eligible peso-denominated government and corporate securities as regulators seek to attract more investors and deepen market liquidity. On Friday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the transition covers eligible peso-denominated, coupon-bearing securities. READ: PH to iron out bond

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) exceeded its 2025 targets for asset recovery, loan resolution and the liquidation of closed banks, boosting recoveries for depositors and creditors. The state-run deposit insurer resolved 2,389 pieces of property with a combined gross book value of P524.9 million and offered 404 for public bidding, according to

MANILA, Philippines — Four big-ticket projects in the Philippine Economic Zone Authority’s (Peza) pipeline could propel the agency to an all-time high in investment approvals this year, potentially surpassing its P311-billion record by about P200 billion. Peza Director General Tereso Panga said the agency, which had already approved P297.14 billion worth of projects as of September,

The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has issued a new regulation requiring the amount of creditable withholding tax, when applicable, to be shown as a separate item on invoices.

The increasing global appeal of Chinese firms’ novel therapies has propelled the country’s rise as a biomedical powerhouse, but China has yet to produce a drug to rival all-time best-selling Western blockbusters in sales. Beijing has set ambitious new five-year targets to boost its global presence, including at least five products with annual global sales surpassing US$1 billion by 2030. The goal is achievable, according to some analysts. Jefferies’ head of Asia healthcare research Cui Cui noted...

What makes a city truly livable? In Quezon City, neighborhoods bring together schools, healthcare, employment, commerce, recreation, culture and public spaces. It stands out for its extensive green spaces amid a highly urbanized setting, giving residents the convenience of urban living while keeping them connected to nature. (https://travelagencymanila.com) Access to everyday needs Schools, healthcare facilities,

City life can be a challenge. Building a career, raising a family and maintaining a healthy work-life balance can be demanding amid the daily pressures of urban living. Thankfully, we don’t have to manage everything on our own. In the city, convenience and support can come in many forms. From children’s play areas and fitness

What drives people’s pride, passion and joy—in other words, love for a city? The qualities that inspire love may be viewed as intangible and unquantifiable. But there are identifiable attributes that make a city lovable, and city planners and local governments can shape those attributes to help cities and their citizens form an emotional bond.

The Circumferential Road 5, known as C5, is one of the most important thoroughfares in the country’s capital region. It connects eight cities namely Las Piñas, Parañaque, Makati, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon City, Taguig and Valenzuela. Transport corridor C5 Road is generally recognized as a busy transportation corridor in Metro Manila, second only to Edsa in