Category: Business

Business

BPI Opens Select Branches on Sundays: Full List and Important Schedule Reminders

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) customers who struggle to visit a bank during the workweek now have another option: selected BPI branches are open on Sundays. BPI announced the Sunday banking schedule as part of its latest branch-service updates, giving customers additional opportunities to complete transactions on weekends. GMA News reported the development on August 20, 2026, citing BPI's announcement. LIST: BPI branches open on Sundays According to BPI's official Sunday branch schedu

August 22, 2026

Business

ANOTHER OIL PRICE HIKE LOOMS: HERE’S WHAT COULD HAPPEN AT THE PUMPS NEXT WEEK

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino motorists could face another increase at the pump next week as persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to disrupt global petroleum markets. Preliminary industry estimates cited by GMA News indicate that gasoline prices could increase by around ₱1.00 to ₱1.50 per liter, while diesel may rise by approximately ₱1.75 to ₱2.25 per liter. The estimates are based on recent movements in the Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS) benchmark and foreign-exchang

August 22, 2026

Business

PAL Ultimate Seat Sale Returns Aug. 24 With Up to 60% Off—But There’s a Catch

Travelers planning their next getaway may want to set a reminder for August 24. Philippine Airlines (PAL) is bringing back its Ultimate Seat Sale, giving passengers only seven days to book discounted flights across selected domestic and international routes. The promotion runs from August 24 through August 30, 2026, according to PAL and multiple reports published ahead of the sale. But there is an important detail travelers should know: not every flight will receive the same discount, and the

August 22, 2026

Business

US-Canada Trade War Erupts Again as 50% Tariffs Hit Canadian Goods

WASHINGTON — A last-minute trade deal between the United States and Canada has collapsed, pushing the two longtime allies into a deeper trade confrontation after Washington imposed 50% tariffs on about US$20 billion worth of Canadian goods and Ottawa vowed to respond with matching measures. The breakdown came after three days of intense negotiations in Washington failed to produce an agreement before the extended deadline. U.S. President Donald Trump had given negotiators an additional three da

August 22, 2026

Business

Trump Just Opened the Door to 300,000 Tons of Cheaper Beef — But There’s a Catch

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is moving to temporarily open the U.S. market to more imported ground beef in an effort to bring down stubbornly high grocery prices — but the move is already triggering backlash from American cattle producers who fear cheaper imports could undermine the domestic beef industry. Trump said Friday that the United States would allow up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to enter the country over a 90-day period without the higher out-of-quota tariff. The Whi

August 22, 2026

Business

Makro Is Coming Back to Four Ayala Estates—But the Bigger Story May Be What Ayala Is Building Around It

MANILA, Philippines — Makro’s return to the Philippines is no longer just a comeback plan on paper. The wholesale retail brand has now secured four strategic Ayala Land locations, setting the stage for a rollout that could become a much bigger play for both retail and real estate. Ayala Land Inc. announced that it has signed lease agreements with Makro Philippines covering four of its mixed-use estates: Cloverleaf in Quezon City, Arca South in Taguig, Broadfield in Biñan, Laguna, and Evo City i

August 22, 2026

Business

LRT-1 Is Getting Closer to Cavite—But the Biggest Impact May Have Nothing to Do With Faster Travel

MANILA, Philippines — For thousands of workers living south of Metro Manila, the long-awaited completion of the LRT-1 Cavite Extension could eventually mean more than simply spending fewer hours trapped in traffic. It could change which jobs are realistically within reach. Metro Pacific Investments Corp. chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan, widely known as MVP, said improved mass transportation could give people living outside the National Capital Region better access to employment concentrated in M

August 22, 2026

Business

Tradeluxury Luxury Goods Scam: Director Charged Over S$35,000 Money Transfer — But the Bigger Mystery Is What Happened to Victims’ Money

SINGAPORE — The multimillion-dollar Tradenation and Tradeluxury luxury goods scandal has taken another turn, with a former Tradeluxury director charged in Singapore over an alleged S$35,000 transfer linked to criminal proceeds. Yap Lee Peng Somchai, a 30-year-old Singapore citizen, appeared in court on 21 August 2026, facing one charge under Singapore's Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act for allegedly transferring property despite having reasona

August 22, 2026

Business

Kita Just Raised $4.5 Million to Let AI Judge Borrowers in Seconds—But the Bigger Story Is Who Banks Could Start Lending To

A young artificial intelligence startup with Filipino roots has raised $4.5 million in seed funding to tackle one of lending’s oldest problems: figuring out whether borrowers with limited traditional credit histories are actually creditworthy. Kita, an AI-powered credit assessment company co-founded by Carmel Limcaoco and Rhea Malhotra, secured the fresh capital in a round led by BoxGroup, with participation from Y Combinator, Golden Gate Ventures, BEENEXT, Kaya Founders, U.S. News Digital Vent

August 22, 2026

Business

Trump’s Economic Plan Is Shaking Markets—But Bessent’s Next Move Could Change Everything

WASHINGTON — Financial markets are being pulled in several directions at once as the Trump administration intensifies its economic pressure campaign against Iran, the U.S. Treasury moves more aggressively into the long-term bond market, and investors react sharply to major corporate developments at Walmart and Moderna. At the center of the latest market drama is Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said the U.S. government is prepared to increase its purchases of longer-dated Treasury securiti

August 22, 2026