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Overseas news
The US Consumer Price Index (CPI) for August increased 2.9% year-on-year. This was primarily driven by higher costs for shelter and food.
CPI is a standard “basket” of goods and services that a typical family spends on. Price changes in CPI reveal what is called headline inflation.
Meanwhile, initial jobless claims in the US rose by 27,000 to reach a seasonally adjusted 263,000 for the week ending September 6. The figure is higher than consensus forecasts.
Inflation and unemployment data are 2 of the factors a central bank looks at when assessing the health of an economy. These indicators can help policymakers decide what to do with interest rates to possibly boost economic activity while keeping inflation manageable.
Additionally, the European Central Bank (ECB) kept its main interest rate unchanged at 2%. ECB President Christine Lagarde said the region is “in a good place” in terms of growth and inflation.
The ECB’s optimistic view may hint that another rate cut isn’t likely to happen soon.
Local developments
The Philippines’ trade deficit for the 1st half of 2025 was revised upward to $24.41 billion from the initially estimated $23.97 billion. This was due to imports being higher than originally reported.
Though the trade gap is higher than previously estimated, it still showed a decline of 2.6% versus the same period last year. A trade deficit is what happens when a country imports more than it exports in a certain period.
Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has issued “trustmarks” to 90 e-commerce merchants and platforms. These “trustmarks” are digital badges meant to boost public confidence in online transactions.
The DTI also set a September 30 deadline to register for the E-Commerce Philippine Trustmark. Registration is mandatory for online sellers, e-retailers, e-marketplaces, and digital platforms in order to conduct online business.
The latest news shows no major changes that may move the markets significantly right away. You might want to maintain your strategy while staying updated on developments.
