BlackRock gains QDII status in China’s US$149b market as Beijing leans into opening up

South China Morning Post - Sep 22, 2026

US asset manager BlackRock has obtained Qualified Domestic Institutional Investor (QDII) status in China, making it the first wholly foreign-owned public fund manager to obtain the qualification, with more such developments likely as Beijing signals broader financial opening. This qualification allows firms to raise funds in China and deploy part or all of the proceeds for overseas securities investment management through asset portfolios. New York-based Neuberger Berman, another foreign-owned...

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Smart taps Avtica to make AI tools more accessible, affordable

Sep 22, 2026

Smart taps Avtica to make AI tools more accessible, affordable

PLDT Inc."s wireless unit, Smart Communications Inc., is partnering with artificial intelligence (AI) orchestration platform Avtica in a bid to make AI tools more accessible and affordable.

DOE: Oil prices likely to remain high until yearend

Sep 22, 2026

DOE: Oil prices likely to remain high until yearend

The Department of Energy (DOE) does not foresee oil prices going down to pre-war levels anytime soon amid the prolonged conflict in the Middle East.

Hong Kong stocks eye fresh inflows from mainland China’s insurers sitting on US$6 trillion

Sep 22, 2026

Hong Kong stocks eye fresh inflows from mainland China’s insurers sitting on US$6 trillion

Hong Kong’s stock market is getting a dose of optimism from mainland China’s 41 trillion yuan (US$6.1 trillion) insurance industry, as some insurers are widely speculated to have bought exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the city one month after regulators approved such purchases. Market observers highlighted a spike in trading volume for several Hong Kong-listed ETFs on Monday as evidence of buying by the mainland insurance companies. The National Financial Regulatory Administration, the watchdog...

More than 8 in 10 people across Asia have delayed their medical care, report finds

Sep 22, 2026

More than 8 in 10 people across Asia have delayed their medical care, report finds

Many people across Asia are generally positive about their healthcare experiences, according to research by Economist Impact, commissioned by Prudential. However, the report also found that satisfaction levels vary widely across markets, with more than 80 per cent admitting they have delayed seeking care. The report, “Patient voices: experiences of healthcare access in Asia,” is based on a survey of 4,200 people conducted from April to May 2025, and examines the patient experience in Hong Kong,...

PH, EU reach 'substantial agreement' on free trade deal

Sep 22, 2026

PH, EU reach 'substantial agreement' on free trade deal

PH, EU reach 'substantial agreement" on free trade deal

What Saudi Arabia’s exit means for China-led mBridge amid global de-dollarisation

Sep 22, 2026

What Saudi Arabia’s exit means for China-led mBridge amid global de-dollarisation

Saudi Arabia’s withdrawal from a China-led digital currency platform would carry greater symbolic than operational significance, analysts say, highlighting pressures facing countries caught between US influence and alternatives to dollar-based payments infrastructure. In a response to inquiries from the South China Morning Post, the Saudi Central Bank said it had participated in mBridge – a multilateral central bank digital currency platform seen as an alternative to the traditional US...

BMI cuts 2026 PH growth outlook to 3.3% on infra woes

Sep 22, 2026

BMI cuts 2026 PH growth outlook to 3.3% on infra woes

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine economy is unlikely to mount a meaningful recovery in the third quarter amid renewed scrutiny of the flood control corruption scandal, prompting BMI Research to slash its full-year growth outlook anew to just 3.3 percent. In a note to clients, BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, said it cut its

Forex gains boosted BSP 4-month profit to P100B

Sep 22, 2026

Forex gains boosted BSP 4-month profit to P100B

MANILA, Philippines — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) saw its profits breach P100 billion in the January to April period, as a sharp decline in expenses more than offset a drop in revenue. The BSP’s net income nearly doubled from the same period last year to P100.9 billion, according to data posted on the central

Entrepreneurial mindset high among young Filipinos–survey

Sep 22, 2026

Entrepreneurial mindset high among young Filipinos–survey

MANILA, Philippines — Young Filipinos are among the strongest believers in entrepreneurship in the Asia-Pacific region, with more than nine in 10 saying an “entrepreneurial mindset” could help them thrive in any occupation, a new study found. The Philippines posted a 94-percent agreement rate, among the highest in the region alongside Indonesia and Malaysia and

Gov’t to woo Apple, Nvidia, many other tech titans for Pax Silica

Sep 22, 2026

Gov’t to woo Apple, Nvidia, many other tech titans for Pax Silica

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will make a push for some of the world’s biggest technology companies to locate within the planned Pax Silica hub in New Clark City, where development work could begin as early as 2027. Among those on the government’s “wish list” are Apple, Nvidia, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., MediaTek, United Microelectronics Corp.,

US, Korea keen on Clark 2nd airport runway project

Sep 22, 2026

US, Korea keen on Clark 2nd airport runway project

MANILA, Philippines — The US government’s international investment arm has expressed interest in funding the construction of a second runway at Clark International Airport, according to state-run Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA). BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang said the US International Development Finance Corp. had already reached out regarding the project, which is targeted

SSS on track to grow loan book to P300B

Sep 22, 2026

SSS on track to grow loan book to P300B

MANILA, Philippines — The loan portfolio of the Social Security System (SSS) reached P170 billion as of September on steady demand across its regular and newer programs, including the recently launched microloan facility. At a press briefing, officials said the loan portfolio had expanded by about 5 percent from a year earlier, with SSS President and

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