IMF warns cost-of-living shocks cause 'lasting deterioration' in affordability

GMA Network - Oct 6, 2026

WASHINGTON, United States - The International Monetary Fund warned Tuesday that price increases for necessities like food and energy, fueled by the wars in Iran and Ukraine, were more persistent than previously expected.

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As China’s AI race accelerates, ‘model fatigue’ becomes the next challenge

Oct 6, 2026

As China’s AI race accelerates, ‘model fatigue’ becomes the next challenge

On September 22, the global artificial intelligence landscape spun on its axis within a matter of hours. In Beijing, Xiaomi engineers went live with an unusual broadcast, streaming the training run of their new MiMo-V2.6 model. In San Francisco, Anthropic unveiled its frontier Opus 5.5 model. About an hour later, OpenAI crashed the party with the surprise release of its GPT-6 Sol and Luna models. For tech executives and developers trying to keep pace, it was just another overwhelming day in the...

Mynt clarifies P10 per share was never the planned IPO price

Oct 6, 2026

Mynt clarifies P10 per share was never the planned IPO price

GCash parent Mynt Inc. on Tuesday clarified that the earlier reported P10 per share price for its initial public offering (IPO) was just for regulatory purposes only.

Very strong El Niño not enough reason to hike commodity prices -- DA

Oct 6, 2026

Very strong El Niño not enough reason to hike commodity prices -- DA

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Tuesday that the threat of a very strong El Niño, which may persist until the first half of 2027, is not enough reason to raise commodity prices as the country supposedly has sufficient food supplies.

PH financial markets weaken as September inflation hits 7.2%

Oct 6, 2026

PH financial markets weaken as September inflation hits 7.2%

Philippine financial markets closed weaker on Tuesday as market players digested government data showing inflation accelerating to 7.2% in September, matching the fastest pace in more than three years and above market expectations.

World Bank raises Thailand’s 2026 growth outlook to 2% but warns AI dependence and climate risks remain

Oct 6, 2026

World Bank raises Thailand’s 2026 growth outlook to 2% but warns AI dependence and climate risks remain

The World Bank has upgraded Thailand’s 2026 growth forecast by 0.7 percentage points to 2.0%, citing stronger exports linked to the global AI boom, but warned that flooding, a potential severe El Niño and weak domestic adoption of AI could limit the benefits. The upgrade comes even as Thailand continues to face unusually heavy flooding, […]

PH agri exports decline by 26.1% in August 2026 --PSA

Oct 6, 2026

PH agri exports decline by 26.1% in August 2026 --PSA

The country"s agricultural export revenue slumped to US$554.7 million in August of this year, the lowest since January 2024, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.

China’s Transsion, Africa’s top phone maker, targets US$500 million Hong Kong listing

Oct 6, 2026

China’s Transsion, Africa’s top phone maker, targets US$500 million Hong Kong listing

Shenzhen Transsion Holdings has begun to take investor orders for its Hong Kong listing, with the maker of Africa’s bestselling phones offering 86.6 million shares at a maximum price of HK$38.8 per share, according to the company’s prospectus on Wednesday. The public offering will run from October 7 to 12, with the company expected to list on October 15, seeking to raise up to HK$3.36 billion (US$428.1 million). With the overallotment option, the deal size may grow to the equivalent of about...

PH rice stocks drop by 8% in September 2026 - PSA

Oct 6, 2026

PH rice stocks drop by 8% in September 2026 - PSA

The country"s total rice stocks inventory dropped to 1.91 million metric tons (MT) as of September as the country prepares for what is expected to be a severe El Niño in the coming months, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.

Mox, BOCHK, ZA Bank and Citibank apps land among Asia-Pacific’s 10 best, study says

Oct 6, 2026

Mox, BOCHK, ZA Bank and Citibank apps land among Asia-Pacific’s 10 best, study says

Banking apps from Mox Bank, Bank of China (Hong Kong) (BOCHK), ZA Bank and Citibank Hong Kong are among the top 10 in Asia-Pacific, according to a study exclusively previewed by the South China Morning Post. Sia, an international consulting firm, assessed 145 banking apps in 20 markets in Europe, Asia and Australia using 100 criteria, including functionality, user experience and feedback, with each receiving a score from 0 to 100. The app from digital lender Mox Bank – backed by Standard...

Consumer groups warn vs Manila 'port holiday'

Oct 6, 2026

Consumer groups warn vs Manila 'port holiday'

Consumer groups on Tuesday raised alarm over a "truck holiday" or “port holiday” to protest against congestion and other logistics issues, saying this could end up hurting more consumers.

DA seeks higher corn import limit as El Niño threatens supply

Oct 6, 2026

DA seeks higher corn import limit as El Niño threatens supply

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Hong Kong’s Hermitage Capital stays devoted to top-tier tech stocks amid jitters

Oct 6, 2026

Hong Kong’s Hermitage Capital stays devoted to top-tier tech stocks amid jitters

Even as geopolitical frictions and market swings unsettle venture investors, Hong Kong-founded Hermitage Capital is sticking to a global strategy of backing frontier technology companies wherever they emerge. With a US$1.5 billion war chest that is 80 per cent in US dollars, with the remainder in renminbi, the private equity firm is ramping up investments across artificial intelligence, semiconductors and robotics, mainly in the US and China, capitalising on a market turnaround triggered by the...

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