.jpg)
Overseas news
US President Donald Trump announced plans to increase tariffs on auto, lumber, and pharmaceutical imports from South Korea to 25% from the current 15%.
President Trump said he wants to raise tariffs because South Korea failed to honor its trade deal with the US through legislation.
If implemented, higher tariffs can increase the costs of goods and services for both consumers and businesses, which may affect investor outlook in turn.
Meanwhile, gold surpassed the $5,100 level to hit record highs on Monday. Silver and platinum also reached new highs as investors sought safe havens amid global political tensions.
Safe havens are assets that are expected to remain stable or even grow in value amid uncertainty. Investors tend to flock to such assets when their willingness to take on risk is low.
Local developments
The peso strengthened to P58.971 against the dollar on Monday, its best level in over 3 weeks. The local currency was boosted by a broad weakness in the US dollar, with the Japanese yen also gaining strength.
Additionally, the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) revised its main index – the PSEi – on Monday. It added RL Commercial REIT, Inc. and dropped Alliance Global Group, Inc.
The PSEi represents the 30 biggest and most actively traded stocks listed in the PSE. Companies must meet certain requirements to be included and remain in this benchmark index.
Further, Metro Manila’s office vacancy rate is expected to drop from 20.3% in 2025 to 19.6% by yearend, with Ortigas Center to show the most consistent improvement.
This was according to real estate services firm Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (CBRE). In 2024, a ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) contributed to a rise in vacant office spaces in Metro Manila.
It might be too early to tell whether the latest news would have a bigger impact in the long term. For now, you may want to continue following your strategy while staying updated on what's happening.
