Economist Diwa Guinigundo, a former BSP deputy governor, said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas may need to raise rates by 50 basis points at today's meeting instead of the expected 25, as headline inflation rose to 7.2% in September from 6.1% in August. Average inflation for the first nine months of 2026 was 5.4%, above the 2.0–4.0% target, and core inflation averaged 3.8% from January to September versus 2.4% a year earlier. He argued a bigger hike would signal commitment to price stability, with the policy rate currently at 5% after three increases this year. He also called for supply-side measures, such as better food distribution and easing energy and transport bottlenecks, alongside targeted support for vulnerable households.
Summary written by Upside AI from the original article. Read the source for full details.
Read the original on manilatimes.net ↗
Keywords
interest ratesinflationcentral bankPhilippines
Open a keyword to see other news on the same topic.
Related tickers and likely impact
DXY
• NeutralRelevance: low
| Market | Currencies |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/21/2026 | 101.70 |
| Change that session | 0.00% |
XAU/USD
• NeutralRelevance: low
| Market | Gold |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/21/2026 | 4,141.17 |
| Change that session | +0.39% |
Impact is scored by AI from the headline and may be wrong. It is not investment advice.
Related news
- 'Godzilla El Niño' is wreaking havoc with Philippine central bank's inflation forecasts
The Philippine central bank (BSP) is planning for a “Godzilla” El Niño alongside a prolonged oil shock, as it tries to curb inflation at three-year highs. Governor Eli Remolona said policy now uses scenarios factoring in oil prices and weather severity, with the worst price impact expected from November through February, and price stability remains the priority. Inflation rose to 7.2% in September from 6.1% in August, and rice prices climbed 18%, while the world's biggest rice importer faces supply risk from a possible new drought. The central bank raised its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 5% in August, and HSBC's Aris Dacanay expects another quarter-percentage hike next week to 5.25%, followed by a same-sized hike in December.
- PHL stocks rise for third day as oil prices retreat - BusinessWorld Online
The PSEi rose 0.26% (15.20 points) to close at 5,797.90, its third straight gain and best finish in over three weeks, as lower oil prices and bargain hunting lifted sentiment. The index could not break the 5,800 resistance level, and investors stayed cautious ahead of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' rate decision on Thursday, where 20 of 22 economists expect a 25-basis-point hike to 5.25%. The all shares index gained 0.46% to 3,233.48, with advancers outnumbering decliners 99 to 67, but foreign investors were net sellers of P70.66 million. Mynt, parent of GCash, is set to list on Tuesday.
- HEADLINES : More criminal cases seen vs VP Sara | October 19 , 2026
The House prosecution panel expects the Ombudsman to file criminal cases against Vice President Sara Duterte and officials of her office and DepEd over alleged misuse of confidential funds, after the agency began evaluating evidence. The defense has not formally notified the impeachment court whether Duterte will testify when the trial resumes on Nov. 9. The Chinese Embassy dared lawmakers to act quickly on their threat to declare Ambassador Jing Quan persona non grata, saying it is tired of repeated warnings. As 2026 Asean chair, the Philippines will host the 20th AMMTC from Oct. 19 to 21, while nine economists polled expect the BSP to raise its key rate by 25 basis points to 5.25 percent at its Oct. 22 meeting. In sports, Alex Eala opens her Ningbo Open campaign against France’s Diane Parry.
- Poll : Another hike in BSP rates looms
- Peso hits record-low 63.06 vs greenback
The Philippine peso closed at a record-low 63.06 per US dollar on Thursday, breaching 63 for the first time as the Middle East war continued to pressure the currency. The peso has weakened about 8.6% from its February 28 close of 57.66, shortly before tensions escalated. Philippine headline inflation accelerated to 7.2% in September, which economists said could prompt further Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas rate hikes, while Brent crude remained above $100 a barrel. Meanwhile, the PSEi rose 45.94 points, or 0.82%, to 5,663.17 on bargain hunting, and foreign investors were net buyers of P140.50 million.
- BSP profit more than doubles to P170 . 2 billion
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) posted net income of P170.2 billion in the first seven months of 2026, up 114.9 percent from the same period last year, according to preliminary, unaudited statements. That already exceeded its P124.6-billion earnings for all of 2025 by 36.6 percent. Most of the rise came from net foreign exchange gains, which nearly tripled to P102 billion and made up about 60 percent of net income. Total expenses fell 18.8 percent to P98.6 billion, mainly because interest expenses dropped 42.4 percent, while revenues edged up 1.9 percent to P166.8 billion, with interest income making up about 90 percent.
Related markets
Latest news
- Bank Profits Surge
The 9-month 2026 results show many banks continued to grow profits, with some posting record quarterly earnings. VPBank's pre-tax profit reached nearly VND 30,000 billion, up nearly 47%, equal to its full-year 2025 result and about 72.4% of its 2026 plan; Q3 pre-tax profit topped VND 11,000 billion. Techcombank posted VND 28,900 billion (up 23.7%), while LPBank reported VND 10,421 billion (up nearly 9%). SSI forecasts pre-tax profit of its monitored banks to rise 19.5% in 2026 before slowing to 15.4% in 2027, pressured by narrowing net interest margins and rising credit risk provisions. It also expects system-wide credit growth of 16-17% in 2027 and 17.9% for the monitored banks.
- World's Largest Gold Fund Dumps Over 10 Tonnes of Gold as Prices Slide
SPDR Gold Trust, the world's largest gold fund, continued net selling of nearly 12 tonnes of gold in the 22/10 session, bringing total sales over 2 sessions to nearly 15 tonnes and cutting its holdings to about 1,046 tonnes. Spot gold fell more than 2.8% to around USD 4,025 per ounce at the close of 22/10, and briefly dipped below USD 4,000 per ounce in the morning session of 23/10. Tensions in the Middle East pushed crude oil prices higher, raising concerns about inflation and further Fed tightening, and gold has still not attracted sustained safe-haven demand even as US Treasury yields fell. US September CPI rose 0.6% month on month and 3.7% year on year, while PPI rose 1.3% and 6.3%. Markets price about an 84% chance the Fed holds rates steady at its 27-28/10 meeting and a 16% chance of a 25 basis-point increase; September PCE data due on 29/10 is the next key factor to watch.
- Gold Prices Continue to Fall
On the morning of 23/10, domestic gold prices kept falling, with SJC bar prices varying by seller and the premium over world gold widening. Công ty TNHH Vàng bạc đá quý Sài Gòn listed SJC bars at VND 139-142 million per tael (buy-sell), down VND 300,000; Phú Quý was at VND 138-141.8 million, down VND 500,000; and Mi Hồng at VND 140-141.5 million, down VND 800,000. Gold rings also fell by varying amounts, with DOJI at VND 138-142 million and Phú Quý at VND 138-141 million per tael. World gold dropped USD 129 to around USD 3,992 per ounce, equal to about VND 125.3 million per tael, leaving SJC bars about VND 16.7 million per tael above the world price. The State Bank's central rate was set at 25,627 VND/USD, down 5 dong, while Vietcombank quoted 25,660-26,040 VND/USD (buy-sell).
- Company Linked to Billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong Announces Major Good News
VEFAC (ticker VEF), a Vingroup subsidiary, posted Q3 net revenue of nearly VND 77 billion, up 67% year on year, but a gross loss of about VND 27 billion as cost of sales from its exhibition business exceeded revenue. Q3 profit rose mainly thanks to a gross gain of about VND 65 billion from transferring some schools in a project to a partner, while financial income reached over VND 388 billion, mostly from loan and investment income. For the first nine months of 2026, after-tax profit was nearly VND 865 billion, down about 94% from VND 15,418 billion in the same period of 2025, as the prior year included large gains from transferring part of the Vinhomes Global Gate project. As of 30/9/2026, total assets stood at over VND 31,905 billion, up 36% from the start of the year, while total liabilities exceeded VND 24,364 billion, with short-term customer advances rising from VND 411 billion to over VND 8,373 billion.
- Lotte and Phat Dat Officially Break Ground on VND 60,000 Billion Mega Project in Thu Thiem 'Golden Land'
A joint venture between Lotte Group (South Korea) and Phát Đạt (HoSE: PDR) officially broke ground on 23/10 on Lotte Eco Smart City Thu Thiem in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area, HCMC, with total investment of about VND 60,000 billion. The project covers nearly 7.5 ha and will combine Grade A offices, retail, services, accommodation and housing, adjoining the central plaza and central lake of Thu Thiem. Phát Đạt holds 35% of Lotte Properties HCMC, the project developer, and will develop the housing blocks along with two towers (2-1 and 2-3) with about 219,722 m2 of floor area, while Lotte handles block 2-5. Lotte Properties HCMC paid VND 17,569 billion in land-use fees on 31/7/2026, and Phát Đạt completed its VND 7,666 billion payment to take its 35% stake. MB is funding all of Phát Đạt's capital contribution, while VietinBank and BIDV also support the project.
- International Business : Global stocks nosedive as Meta dents AI optimism
Global stocks retreated as tech earnings failed to ease concerns about the AI outlook, with MSCI's All-World index set for its largest daily fall in two weeks, down 0.4 per cent. Meta beat third-quarter revenue expectations, but its plan to issue non-voting stock revived worries about its mounting capital commitments, and a New Mexico judge ordered it to pay a $25 billion penalty in a data privacy case. Brent crude rose nearly 3% to $112 a barrel, near a five-month high, after more Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia raised supply risks. Investors moved into government bonds, pushing the US 10-year yield down to 5.05%, below France's for the first time in 13 years, while French yields have climbed above 5% amid concerns over social unrest and debt. The France-Germany 10-year spread reached 177.7 basis points, its widest since 2011, while gold fell 1.8% to $4,070 an ounce.
Get the briefing on Telegram or Zalo
Join the Upside Telegram channel or Zalo group for the Vietnam stocks and gold briefing at 8:00 and 19:00 (Vietnam time) on trading days, plus a weekly wrap on Saturday morning.