DBS bets on strong PH growth rebound but flags energy risk

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.]  NEW YORK – SEPT. 16, 2026 – Prometheum Inc. (“Prometheum”), a market infrastructure provider for crypto assets, today announced that its subsidiary Prometheum Capital LLC (“Prometheum Capital”), an SEC-registered, FINRA member crypto asset custodian and clearing broker-dealer, has signed a binding memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) with HashKey Digital Asset Group Limited (“HashKey”) and Velocity Capital, LLC...

Chinese artificial intelligence developer Z.ai has raised its year-end annual recurring revenue (ARR) outlook by 25 per cent to US$3 billion, as the firm indicated its fresh US$5 billion war chest had helped clear its computing capacity bottlenecks for the time being. The updated ARR projection, up from a previous estimate of about US$2.4 billion, was disclosed during an investor call on Wednesday, according to a transcript seen by the South China Morning Post. The revised guidance comes days...

China is bracing for a potential massive sell-off of a high-profile artificial intelligence chip stock on Thursday, when a lock-up period affecting 14 million shares in MetaX Integrated Circuits is set to expire. Analysts expect MetaX to face “significant selling pressure” when the restricted shares are released for trading, after the expiry of a similar lock-up period for shares in fellow AI chip firm Moore Threads last week sparked an avalanche of sales that wiped nearly 49 billion yuan...

China’s Moonshot AI has attracted global investor interest spanning Europe, Asia and the Middle East, people familiar with the matter say, as international capital scrambles for access to Chinese frontier artificial intelligence labs, betting on their high-stakes race against US rivals. The Beijing-based developer of the Kimi family of AI models has seen mounting interest from overseas players ranging from European investment firms to Middle East family offices, with some seeking indirect...

A third-generation member of a long-established Hong Kong developer family has bought a HK$98.8 million (US$12.6 million) luxury flat in Mid-Levels, weeks after the family sold a long-held North Point property, highlighting a broader market trend of capital shifting across real estate sectors. John Lai Sung-ziang agreed to buy a high-floor unit at Estoril Court on August 31, Land Registry records showed. The price for the four-bedroom flat, which has a saleable area of 2,888 square feet,...

The Philippine peso appreciated against the US dollar for the second straight trading day on Wednesday, as global crude oil prices eased following reports indicating higher energy inventories in the United States.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union is opening the door for Canada to become the first associate member, a status that does not exist under the bloc's treaties.

The US Senate’s rejection of the Clarity Act – a landmark bill meant to regulate cryptocurrency market structure – has opened a window for Hong Kong to accelerate its digital asset ambitions, industry insiders say, even as the sector remains mired in a slump after a brief rally last month. Beijing’s ban on crypto remains in force in mainland China, but Hong Kong has received approval to develop itself as a digital asset hub, with the stalled push in Washington presenting the city with what...

We have put together stories from our coverage on electric and new energy vehicles from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Market squeeze: Tesla revives China price cuts to stem slumping deliveries Tesla China has launched discounts on its Shanghai-made cars for the first time since the end of 2024, responding to falling deliveries in the world’s largest market for electric vehicles (EVs). 2. ‘Key pillar’:...

After the price of Dubai crude oil breached the $80-per-barrel threshold, Malacañang on Wednesday assured there are adequate supplies of fuel but has yet to issue a decision on the possible suspension of the excise tax.

China’s contributions and leadership were of considerable value to the revision of new International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards for artificial intelligence, intelligent transport systems and cybersecurity, according to the global body. The ISO made the comments as it released ISO 9001:2026 on Wednesday, which is the first major revision to ISO 9001 – an international benchmark for quality management – in a decade, it added. ISO Secretary-General Sergio Mujica told the South...

The estimated production of palay (unhusked rice) and corn may decline in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

TikTok parent ByteDance has scored another hit in China with Hongguo, an artificial intelligence-powered short-drama platform. Launched in 2023, Hongguo quickly became a household name by riding China’s short-drama boom. A surge in AI-generated content propelled it past some of the country’s biggest professional streaming platforms, while iterations of AI-animated dramas – using AI video models including ByteDance’s Seedance – gave it further lift. Hongguo has overtaken the country’s four...

Hong Kong has retained its status as Asia’s top financial hub for a fourth consecutive edition of the Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI), even as many of the world’s leading centres saw their scores slip slightly amid rising geopolitical headwinds. The city also ranked third globally in the 40th edition of the twice-yearly report, released on Wednesday amid a remarkably tight race at the top of global finance. Hong Kong scored 756, just one point behind London and a point ahead of Singapore....

With a US interest rate increase almost a done deal, investors are now trying to figure out whether it would be a one-off move or the start of a fresh tightening cycle, while also bracing for a borrowing-cost increase in Japan, which is highly likely and may jolt capital flows. As the odds of a 25 basis-point rate increase at the US Federal Reserve’s policy meeting on Thursday have risen to 92 per cent, stock traders have shifted the focus to whether the world’s biggest central banks would...

The BRICS summit in New Delhi has produced a joint declaration calling for maximum restraint and diplomatic efforts to address the escalating Middle East conflict, while members also criticised unilateral tariffs and other trade measures.

LTFRB to make recommendation on possible fare hike next month

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Standard Chartered Bank to conduct feasibility studies for potential projects in the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga and New Clark City in Tarlac.

MANILA, Philippines — Money sent home by Filipinos abroad rose to a seven-month high in July, offering a lifeline to households grappling with higher consumer prices and providing a steady source of support for the economy during a difficult period. Cash remittances coursed through banks rose 1.9 percent from a year earlier to $3.2 billion, the

MANILA. Philippines — The Philippine peso edged ever closer to the 63-per-dollar threshold on Tuesday, battered by a resurgent greenback as rising US Treasury yields gave dollar bulls fresh reason to pile in. The local currency opened at 62.90 against the greenback before recovering to 62.835 by the close, up 2.5 centavos from its previous finish,

MANILA, Philippines — India’s largest airline plans to take the Mumbai-Manila route first once it secures approval for its Philippine entry, as it seeks to strengthen air connectivity between some of the two countries’ largest economic hubs. According to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), low-cost carrier IndiGo is already evaluating the prospects of

MANILA, Philippines — Geopolitical tensions, cyberattacks and global supply chain disruptions are among the key risks financial institutions are watching closely, a central bank-led government group said. The risks were identified in the annual Survey of Salient Risks by the Financial Stability Coordination Council (FSCC), which gathers views on threats that could affect the financial system

MANILA, Philippines — Moody’s Corp. is set to acquire a minority stake in Philippine Rating Services Corp. (PhilRatings), marking the first investment by a global credit rating agency in a domestic debt watchdog. The investment will be made through Moody’s Ratings, one of the world’s three major credit rating agencies, although the terms of the transaction

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) is making 3,800 megawatts (MW) of capacity up for grabs at the country’s first mid-merit natural gas auction. Based on the invitation to bid, the agency has allotted a total of 2,900 MW of capacity for Luzon. READ: DOE plans auction for mid-merit natural gas capacity Mid-merit capacity

MANILA, Philippines — Several big-ticket Indian companies are looking to invest a combined $66.78 million to expand or establish operations in the Philippines. These investment prospects were presented during a roundtable between President Marcos and Indian business leaders, also attended by Finance Secretary Frederick Go and Trade Secretary Cristina Roque. READ: Marcos at BRICS: India’s

Dividend yield is one of the most common measures investors use when comparing real estate investment trusts or REITs. When one REIT offers a dividend yield of 12 percent while another offers only 6 percent, investors would naturally prefer the higher-yielding REIT because it provides twice as much cash income for the same amount invested.

British pharmaceutical giant GSK has agreed to acquire a cancer drug from Chinese firm Chimagen Biosciences in a deal worth up to US$750 million, underscoring China’s emergence as a global player in biotechnology. GSK announced plans on Tuesday to buy full global rights to a “potential best-in-class” T-cell engager (TCE) from Chengdu-based Chimagen, targeting treatment for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. TCEs work by binding T cells, a kind of white blood cell, directly to cancer...

MANILA, Philippines — A potential new operator of the highly priced Semirara coal site will need to cough up P55 billion for equipment, as the top executive of Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) balked at a proposed auction rule forcing the latter to give up its machinery. While the group awaits a court response on

MANILA, Philippines — The planned blockbuster listing of GCash operator Mynt Inc. could demonstrate the Philippine stock market’s capacity to absorb large equity deals while drawing more retail investors into equities, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). SEC Chair Francis Ed Lim noted that Mynt plans to launch its initial public offering (IPO), which

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines’ weak social insurance system is leaving households more vulnerable to falling back into poverty when they face economic shocks such as disasters and the fallout from the Middle East war, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said. Speaking to the Inquirer, Balisacan said more than half of the country’s population lives just

MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has established a bonded facility for imported Jet A-1 fuel for international flights, creating a mechanism for eligible carriers and fuel suppliers to avail of tax incentives under the CREATE MORE Act. Under Customs Administrative Order No. 03-2026, the BOC said the bonded Jet A-1 Fuel Facility (JAFF)

Southeast Asian investors have emerged as the largest non-local buyers of Hong Kong commercial property, led by Singapore-based capital, according to Savills. As of Tuesday, local and non-local investors – including those from mainland China – were behind an estimated HK$30.36 billion (US$3.87 billion) in transactions involving commercial property deals above HK$50 million in Hong Kong so far this year, data compiled by the property consultancy showed. Southeast Asian investors contributed...

As the capital grapples with an unprecedented AI-driven digital expansion, the government faces a high-stakes reckoning—balancing the promise of a booming tech economy against severe environmental risks, power grid strains, and growing public outcry.

Thailand targets US$600 million tourism boost as domestic travel becomes a stronger economic buffer Thailand is preparing a new THB4 billion domestic-tourism stimulus package designed to generate more than THB20 billion (US$602 million) in additional tourism spending as the sector faces a slower recovery in international arrivals and rising operating costs. Tourism and Sports Minister […]

Commercial property prices in Hong Kong are likely to continue their downward spiral, as the market risks getting trapped in a “vicious cycle” of tighter bank lending and weakening demand, a property agency has warned. Banks in the city had adopted a more conservative approach towards approving mortgages for commercial properties over the past three years, introducing stricter approval standards and terms, said Eric Tso Tak-ming, chief vice-president at mReferral Mortgage Brokerage Services, at...

MANILA, Philippines — The US plans to connect Thailand to the US through a submarine cable network that includes Manila, avoiding security risk areas like the South China Sea. In a statement, the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) said it was funding a feasibility study for the proposed Thailand-US Submarine Cable System (THUS), which could

MANILA, Philippines — Lowering fees can significantly increase the use of digital payments, a new survey found, suggesting that payment pricing affects more than the cost of a transaction. A survey of 15,000 mobile banking users at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) showed that users doubled their transactions after the bank reduced fees to zero. In

MANILA, Philippines —  Cebu-based Aznar Shipping Corp. is seeking to raise P737 million through an initial public offering (IPO) to expand its fleet and shipping operations across the Visayas. The shipping operator has filed a registration statement with the SEC to sell up to 1 billion primary common shares, plus an option for 100 million

A group of executives, including those from First Gen, pushing for net zero aims to secure stronger government backing to ensure the Philippines stays competitive. Allan Barcena, executive director of the Net Zero Carbon Alliance (NZCA), said the group has been “aggressive” in forging tie-ups with the private sector and government agencies. READ: DOE chief:

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) has certified that Dubai crude oil prices have exceeded the $80-per-barrel threshold, which could lead to the suspension of excise taxes on kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) again. “The DOE finally certified the Dubai crude prices. I am immediately endorsing [to] the Development Budget Coordination Committee