Weak infra spending to keep cement demand flat

Inquirer.net - Oct 29, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — An umbrella group of cement manufacturers in the Philippines expects cement demand to finish the year flat, as construction activity across public and private projects remains sluggish. Reinier Dizon, president of the Cement Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (Cemap), said cement demand from January to September was down 2 to 3 percent from

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Dali operator slips into capital deficit

Oct 29, 2026

Dali operator slips into capital deficit

MANILA, Philippines — The operator of discount grocery chain Dali Everyday Grocery returned to a P1.03 billion capital deficit in 2025, as mounting losses prompted its auditor to flag uncertainty about its ability to continue as a going concern. Hard Discount Philippines Inc. posted a P1.83-billion net loss last year, narrower than the previous year’s P1.97

Pagcor’s 9-month net income slides 85% on weak revenue

Oct 29, 2026

Pagcor’s 9-month net income slides 85% on weak revenue

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) reported an 85 percent drop in net income in the first nine months of the year, as weaker gaming revenues and higher remittances for government nation-building projects weighed on earnings. The state-run gaming regulator said in a statement that net income fell to P2.17 billion

DBS Vantage Card Elevates the DBS Treasures Experience with Hong Kong’s First Visa Infinite Privilege Card

Oct 29, 2026

DBS Vantage Card Elevates the DBS Treasures Experience with Hong Kong’s First Visa Infinite Privilege Card

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.] The first DBS Hong Kong Visa Infinite Priviledge Card has finally arrived. The “DBS Vantage Card" marks a new chapter in affluent banking as we see a stronger connection has been built through wealth, travel and lifestyle in the recent years. This card brings together premium payment privileges; cross-border convenience and curated lifestyle experiences in a single tap. According to Emily Ip, Head of Cards and Unsecured...

Biz groups’ clamor: Purge 2027 budget of dubious insertions

Oct 29, 2026

Biz groups’ clamor: Purge 2027 budget of dubious insertions

MANILA, Philippines — Major business and civil society groups are calling on Congress to ensure that no budget insertions lacking technical justification make it into the 2027 national budget, as they seek to avoid a repeat of the “ghost” and substandard flood control projects that had tainted previous spending plans. Specifically, more than 30 groups flagged

ERC weighs relief measures to temper power rate hikes

Oct 29, 2026

ERC weighs relief measures to temper power rate hikes

MARINA BAY, Singapore — The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said it is still exploring additional measures to cushion the impact of the weakening peso on power rates, as industry players are already feeling the toll of current initiatives meant to relieve consumers. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, ERC chair and CEO Francis Saturnino Juan said

Nickel production likely to stay flat this year

Oct 29, 2026

Nickel production likely to stay flat this year

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine nickel producers expect production to remain relatively unchanged this year, as erratic weather conditions and subdued global prices continue to impact the country’s mining industry. Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) president Dante Bravo said the sector is unlikely to see a significant increase in output in 2026, partly because unpredictable rainfall is

China’s BYD, Geely report profit jump as sales abroad surge, though local market stalls

Oct 29, 2026

China’s BYD, Geely report profit jump as sales abroad surge, though local market stalls

China’s two largest carmakers, BYD and Geely Auto, reported a jump in their third-quarter earnings, propelled by surging overseas sales as they intensified pressure on established international marques in Europe and Southeast Asia. BYD, mainland China’s largest automotive group, posted a net profit of 10 billion yuan (US$1.5 billion) in the three months ending September, up 28 per cent from the same period a year earlier. Revenue grew 13.6 per cent to 211.5 billion yuan. Geely said on Thursday...

Xi-Trump summits must leave businesses with greater clarity, not less

Oct 29, 2026

Xi-Trump summits must leave businesses with greater clarity, not less

An aircraft supplier can have parts ready and a customer waiting yet be unable to ship while Washington holds up its licence. In Shanghai, Citi has approval to establish a securities business after years of waiting. Companies must invest, sign contracts and move production while the two governments negotiate. A board needs to know what can proceed now, what remains conditional and what could stop the business after the money has been spent. Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald...

Marcos to Filipinos: Help keep eye on proposed P7.2T national budget for 2027

Oct 29, 2026

Marcos to Filipinos: Help keep eye on proposed P7.2T national budget for 2027

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is asking all Filipinos to help monitor the proposed P7.2 trillion national budget for 2027 to ensure funds don't end up in the pockets of corrupt politicians, Palace Press Officer Usec. Claire Castro said on Thursday.

ECB's Lagarde steps down, saying she can't remain neutral on world events

Oct 29, 2026

ECB's Lagarde steps down, saying she can't remain neutral on world events

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde announced her resignation on Thursday, ending months of speculation about her future at a complex juncture for Europe and the ECB.

World’s first intergovernmental mediation organisation to ramp up outreach

Oct 29, 2026

World’s first intergovernmental mediation organisation to ramp up outreach

Business disputes are expected to make up the bulk of cases at Hong Kong’s new International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed), which plans to accelerate its outreach efforts entering its second year of operation, secretary general Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah said in an interview. Commercial cases account for up to 95 per cent of all disputes worldwide, while no more than 5 per cent involve states, and IOMed “naturally” expected a similar spread for its own caseload, Cheng said on the sidelines of...

Red alert up anew over Visayas grid

Oct 29, 2026

Red alert up anew over Visayas grid

MANILA, Philippines — Visayan consumers may face brownouts on Thursday as the grid operator has again issued a red alert for the Visayas grid due to persistently tight energy supply from outages at some coal plants and limited imports from Mindanao. In an advisory, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines said the red alert would

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