Recent News
GCash-Mynt's P6.60 IPO price brings investment closer to more Filipinos --solon
A member of the House panel on banks and financial intermediaries said Friday that the P6.60 final pricing of the initial public offering of Mynt Inc., the parent company of mobile wallet GCash, could bring ownership of the digital platforms within reach of a broader base of Filipino investors.
SSS LoanLite offers P1K to P20K loans for qualified members' immediate needs
The Social Security System (SSS) on Friday called on its members to avail of the pension fund"s new digital microloan facility, the SSS Micro Loan Program, also known as SSS LoanLite.
Developers vie to land plum HK$2 billion residential site in Ho Man Tin
The sole residential site included in the Hong Kong government’s latest land sale programme has attracted interest from a host of major developers, with 10 tenders being submitted before a noon deadline on Friday. Chinachem Group, Wheelock Properties, Kerry Properties and Sun Hung Kai Properties all confirmed to the South China Morning Post that they had submitted individual bids for the site on Fat Kwong Street in Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, while Sino Land issued a joint tender with Great Eagle...
Hong Kong IPOs falter, China aids homebuyers, EU trade talks
Hong Kong stock debuts are losing steam as a deluge of initial public offerings (IPOs) overwhelms investor appetite. Seven of September’s 12 IPOs fell on the first day of trading, raising the third-quarter total to 15 flops out of 31, based on Bloomberg data. By contrast, there were only 14 declines among 77 debuts in the first half of the year. Medcaptain Medical Technology led September’s first-day flops, plunging 43 per cent. Fast-fashion giant Shein tumbled as much as 10 per cent on its...
China’s AI compute ambitions demand innovation
China has set a five-year goal for the expansion of intelligent computing capacity to drive artificial intelligence (AI) that calls for a more than fourfold increase on what was in place at the end of June this year. To reach the 2030 target while being blocked by the United States from importing the most advanced Western-made AI chips will require innovation, adaptation and the application and coordination of vast resources. Judging by the 177 per cent increase in capacity achieved in the year...
Hong Kong ranks 7th globally in drawing next wealthy class – trailing Singapore: study
Hong Kong ranked seventh globally as a destination for attracting and retaining the next generation of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), trailing traditional rival Singapore in sixth place, according to a Savills study. The two top finance hubs in the Asia-Pacific region have been stepping up efforts to strengthen their positions as regional wealth-management hubs amid an unprecedented global transfer of wealth between generations. “Hong Kong offers many incentives similar to Singapore,”...
From stock losses to bond bets: 5 figures investors are watching in China
A sell-off in technology stocks pushed mainland Chinese equities to their lowest level in more than a year, even as Beijing stepped up support for the economy with a key interest rate cut. At the same time, Chinese government bonds attracted fresh interest as US Treasury yields climbed to a new high. Here are some figures that have captured market attention this week. China’s CSI 300 Index hits 13-month low Mainland China’s CSI 300 Index dropped 2.2 per cent on Monday to its lowest level since...
NTC: Due process observed in mobile internet service speed-tests sanctions
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) on Friday said its recent mobile broadband service speed tests which resulted in sanctions against Globe, PLDT-Smart, and DITO have undergone due process.
GCash parent Mynt sets final IPO price at P6.60 per share
Mynt Inc., the parent company of mobile wallet GCash, announced Friday that it has set the final price for its initial public offering (IPO), which could amount to about P60 billion, in what could be the largest and most anticipated IPO in the Philippine capital market.
DeepSeek effect? How China’s quant funds thrive amid tight regulatory scrutiny
China’s quantitative investing sector has added 18 new members to the ranks of funds managing more than 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) in assets this year, underlining the industry’s ability to generate competitive returns despite a tight regulatory environment. The firms were among 159 Chinese hedge funds overseeing more than 10 billion yuan each, according to financial news agency Cailian Press. Their growth has been fuelled by technology-driven momentum in the world’s second-largest stock...
Gasoline, kerosene prices seen up; diesel down next week
Gasoline and kerosene prices may increase, while diesel prices could see a rollback next week based on the latest movement in international oil prices, the Department of Energy (DOE) said Friday.
Could Northern Metropolis draw educational leasing from Hong Kong’s Grade A office sector?
As education sector demand supports Hong Kong’s Grade A office leasing activity, analysts said infrastructure that will serve the Northern Metropolis could decide whether schools and universities move their administrative and other services to this potential new centre of the city. “Over the medium to long term, the Northern Metropolis could be a viable option for institutions seeking to expand their teaching, research and administrative facilities,” said Kelvin Lee, director at property agency...
Bangkok Needs to Stop Treating Every Flood as an Exceptional Event
Bangkok’s latest floods reveal the economic cost of treating recurring disasters as emergencies, exposing the need for permanent urban resilience and coordinated planning
Infineon opens US$1.4 billion Thailand plant as semiconductor investment moves up the value chain
German semiconductor maker Infineon Technologies has inaugurated a new manufacturing facility in Samut Prakan, marking one of the most significant recent additions to Thailand’s semiconductor ecosystem. The project, valued at about US$1.4 billion by Thailand’s Board of Investment, is designed as a backend manufacturing site covering power modules, discrete devices, wafer testing and research and […]
PH eyes tighter regulations on artificial sweeteners amid sugar industry manifesto
The Philippines is mulling whether to impose tighter regulations on artificial sweeteners following calls from the sugar industry to protect locally produced sugar, the DA said.
Consumer advocates call on gov't to weigh in on new vape tax
Consumer advocates are calling on the government to reconsider imposing higher excise taxes on vape products.
PhilHealth, HMOs, insurers team up to complement coverage for shared members
Filipinos with private insurance could see more of their medical costs covered as the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), major health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and private insurers have inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to coordinate benefits for primary care services.
PSEi sinks to 5,629 as crude nears $100 per barrel
Philippine share prices continued their decline on Thursday falling further within the 5,600 level as investors opted out of the local stock market amid rising global fuel prices.
P2.412-B allotted for MSME dev't in 2027 --DBM
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Thursday about P2.412 billion was earmarked under the proposed P7.2-trillion 2027 national budget to help uplift micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country.
Hong Kong needs new funding model to draw investment from global drug makers: AstraZeneca
Hong Kong can attract more global biotech investments if the city builds up a new healthcare financial model, according to AstraZeneca, a Cambridge-based multinational pharmaceutical giant. While global drug makers have been doubling down on investments in mainland China in recent years, AstraZeneca brought over 60 clinical trials to the city and invested over HK$200 million (US$25.5 million) over the past three years. Hong Kong was still a key research and development hub for the firm, David...
Maynilad gears up for dry spell as El Niño expected to start October
Water service provider Maynilad said Thursday that it is preparing for the expected dry spell as a record-breaking El Niño is expected to affect the country starting this October.
DBM: P11.03B earmarked for TUPAD temporary jobs program in proposed 2027 budget
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on Thursday said the proposed P7.2-trillion national budget next year earmarked over P11 billion for the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged Workers (TUPAD) Program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
Senate impeachment court orders banks to testify in Sara Duterte trial
The Senate impeachment court has ordered officials from seven banks and seven financial firms to testify before the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
China’s carmakers eye record 12 million overseas sales in 2026 as ‘go global’ plan pays off
Chinese automotive groups have cause to celebrate their go-global strategy amid breakneck export growth in recent years, with deliveries in 2026 expected to beat expectations already buoyed by an international energy shock caused by conflict in the Middle East. Leading carmakers from BYD to Chery Automobile have doubled down on overseas expansion, with some evolving into powerful contenders in markets such as Europe and Africa, which were once dominated by the likes of Volkswagen. “A sluggish...
Thailand’s Leadership Test in ASEAN’s Digital Future
A World Economic Forum report on ASEAN’s digital economy highlights the gap between digital ambition and practical execution, positioning Thailand’s leadership as pivotal. Having chaired negotiations for the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) across fourteen rounds culminating in 2026, Thailand now faces the challenge of translating this agreement into functional cross-border systems for payments, […]
Thailand is making AI and semiconductors the focus of its next five-year development plan
Thailand’s draft 14th development plan covers 2028–2032 and prioritises AI, semiconductors, advanced electronics and clean energy.
PH factory activity contracts for first time in 5 months
Philippine manufacturing returned to negative territory in September, posting its first contraction in five months as weaker demand weighed on output and new orders, results of the latest S&P Global survey released Thursday showed.
‘China’s Warren Buffett’ adds Moutai shares for 3rd time as baijiu sector seeks bottom
Chinese-American billionaire investor Duan Yongping, often called China’s Warren Buffett, has added 30,000 shares of Shanghai-listed baijiu maker Kweichou Moutai to his portfolio in his third public stake increase this year amid a deep sector-wide adjustment. Moutai’s premium valuation has long relied heavily on corporate and social gifting demand. Yet stricter supervision, more prudent corporate spending and ongoing anti-corruption efforts in recent years have dented demand, according to...
Digital Economy and E-Commerce: ASEAN’s $1 Trillion Growth Engine
Southeast Asia's digital economy is valued at $300 billion in 2025 and could reach $1 trillion by 2030. Structural shifts in ASEAN countries drive growth, with e-commerce dominating. Policy, platform evolution, and investment opportunities support this growth potential.
Telcos express concern over NTC's sanctions due to alleged poor mobile service
The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunication Operators (PCTO) on Wednesday expressed concern after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) imposed sanctions against the country"s three major telco players due to “poor” mobile broadband services monitored this month.
































