Asia Financial Services

Two things have become clear to the PSE: global financial markets are moving quickly in terms of developing products and services, and the Philippine market possesses great potential that has yet to be fully realised.

Capital movement in the 21st century is a global phenomenon. Despite geographic controls in some places, funds flow in and out of borders, and among various asset classes, depending on the relative attractiveness of opportunities. These can be affected by interest rates, taxation, ease of access to investments, and the products and services...

Buoyed by recent rapid macroeconomic growth, the Philippines’ insurance industry has seen marked improvements in assets, density and penetration, with the life segment as its main engine. Foreign participation in the sector remains strong and companies are profitable, despite high competition.

While advanced economies generate the vast majority of insurance and reinsurance business, emerging markets are posting higher rates of growth. Complementing this underlying trend is a strong and expanding interest in catastrophic risk, which by nature tends to pertain to emerging markets. This is coming alongside fast-paced, sector-...

Though smaller than some other capital markets in the region, the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) reached record highs in 2017 against a backdrop of robust macroeconomic expansion and the sweeping Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) programme, which should support the government’s sizeable infrastructure agenda, Build, Build,...