PH eyes tighter regulations on artificial sweeteners amid sugar industry manifesto

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’s draft 14th development plan covers 2028–2032 and prioritises AI, semiconductors, advanced electronics and clean energy.

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.

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...

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.

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.

The bond-market deterioration reflects several forces acting simultaneously: higher inflation expectations, heavy government borrowing and issuance, concerns over public finances and elevated energy prices linked to the Middle East conflict.

PCO Secretary Dave Gomez asked senators to help restore subsidy for the agency"s attached GOCC IBC-13, saying it risked going off the air without government funding.

Hong Kong commercial banks continue to offer incentives to attract mainland visitors during the first golden week after Beijing tightened cross-border investment rules and enforced the collection of a 20 per cent levy on overseas investment or insurance gains. HSBC would offer up to HK$88,000 (US$11,215) for new high-end clients, as well as experiences including a National Day fireworks dinner and tickets to the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing or a K-pop concert, according to the bank’s...

A sari-sari store in Dagupan City received a fake P1,000 bill from a customer who used it to pay for a purchase.

New World Development (NWD) reported a net loss of HK$26.8 billion (US$3.42 billion) for the year ended June, as the developer booked HK$18.3 billion in impairments and provisions tied to the early termination of its flagship 11 Skies mall project. Echo Huang, the firm’s chief executive, said at a Wednesday earnings briefing that the group had “met its targets over the past 18 months”, including focusing on its property business, improving cash flow and enhancing operating efficiency. NWD will...

Maxim’s Caterers has struck a deal to buy back its shares from DFI Retail Group for US$340 million plus control of its licensed Starbucks business, according to an exchange filing released on Wednesday. The deal will mark the start of a fresh chapter for Maxim’s, bringing an end to decades of part ownership by the conglomerate Jardine Matheson, which owns DFI Retail. Jardine Matheson bought a 50 per cent interest in Maxim’s in 1972, before transferring the stake to Dairy Farm, now known as DFI...