Another new year
ECONOMISTS refer to the optimism that a new year brings as the “January Effect,” specifically relevant to the stock market which is traditionally given a boost in price and volumes on the first month of the new year. It is considered temporary and more behavioral than rational in its bullish mood.
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The joys of Christmas and New Year in the Philippines
If you are thinking of retirement and are wondering where to spend the remaining years of your life, try spending Christmas and New Year in the Philippines. That should help you make up your mind.
Provinces and New Year wishes for them
Last month, I traveled to several provinces. Below are my observations and my wishes for them.
Beijing dithers as the economy declines
CHINA’s annual economic policy summit has come and gone, leaving a wet lump of coal in place of stimulus hopes. Beijing will have to do better if it wants to steer the country to another year of robust growth.
Stocks may climb ahead of inflation, GDP data
LOCAL EQUITIES are seen to firm up in the first trading day of 2019 as investors await the release of data on December inflation as well as the country’s economic growth.
Peso may weaken further versus dollar this year as imports surge
THE PESO is seen to weaken further against the dollar this year as the surge of capital goods to support the infrastructure push of the government is expected to widen the trade deficit.
Risk-averse banks continue to shun agri lending
BANKS REMAIN reluctant to extend credit to the agriculture sector in the third quarter of 2018, the central bank said, lending out a little over half the legal minimum and preferring to incur penalties rather than take on the risk of lending to farmers.
House panel to review TRAIN implementation on Jan. 14
THE House Committee on the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program will convene to review the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law when Congress resumes session on Jan. 14, Rep. Estrellita B. Suansing said.
Senate panel backs bill requiring harmonized LGU business fees
THE Senate committee on local government is recommending passage of a bill requiring the national government to provide clear guidelines for local government units (LGU) seeking to impose fees and charges on businesses.
Seven more Mindanao products seek approval for PRDP funding
DAVAO CITY -- Seven Mindanao commodities are up for funding support by the World Bank-funded Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP).
Poultry, pork, fruit supply seen rising
POULTRY PRODUCTION is expected to increase in 2019 with new entrants pushing down prices for consumers but also putting grower earnings under pressure, an industry official said.
AmCham hoping for progress on free trade talks
THE US business chamber said it hopes free trade agreement (FTA) talks with the Philippines will get going in 2019.
PHL may seek Saudi overflight rights to expand Israel air market
THE Department of Transportation (DoTr) said it hopes to conclude an overflight agreement with Saudi Arabia in order to expand air services with Israel.
BoI hoping IB will help firms unlock some TRABAHO incentives
THE Board of Investments (BoI) wants more companies to take advantage of inclusive business incentives, touting them as a pathway to unlock some of...
PCCI sees rice tariffication measure as model for sugar liberalization
THE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) wants a more liberal regime for importing sugar modeled on the rice tariffication bill, with tariffs to benefit domestic sugarcane farmers.
TRAIN spurred economic activity, increased poverty — PIDS
THE TAX REFORM for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law may have spurred economic activity with gains in employment and domestic output, but a state-run think tank that reviewed the law said that poverty increased overall, and especially among farmers and fisherfolk.
Donnie Nietes ends year 2018 with a bang
FILIPINO BOXING world champion Donnie “Ahas” Nietes ended 2018 on very a high note by winning another division title that thrust him to an elite group of fighters in history.
Spurs beat Celtics at home
DERRICK WHITE and LaMarcus Aldridge combined for 21 points in the third quarter Monday night as the hosts San Antonio Spurs, after being held to 46 points in the first half, exploded for 46 in the third period to rally past the Boston Celtics, 120-111.
TNT KaTropa look to do well with new-look roster
DECIDED to go for a new-look roster after having a “pedestrian” season at the Philippine Basketball Association last year, the TNT KaTropa aim to do better when a new edition of the premier local professional basketball league unfurls later this month with help from the players they had acquired.
Go For Gold athletes gear up for 2019 SEA Games
FILIPINO athletes under the Go For Gold program are gearing up for peak performance in time for the 30th Southeast Asian Games.
Serena wins on return but US loses Hopman Cup opener
SERENA WILLIAMS made a winning return to competitive action at the Hopman Cup on Monday but could not prevent the United States from losing, 2-1, to Greece in their opening round-robin match.
Usual suspects are in the frame at expanded Asian Cup
SYDNEY -- The 17th Asian Cup finals will be the biggest in the 62-year history of the tournament but even with 24 teams battling it out, it is hard to look much beyond regional powers Iran, Japan and South Korea as potential champions.
Standout moments (2)
The Year 2018 was also a standout year for female national athletes who made their presence felt in various international competitions.
Solid guidance
Yesterday’s match between the Spurs and Celtics highlighted plenty of similarities between the protagonists. Both encountered adversity early in the season, and both appeared to have overcome it heading into the new year. Both faced roster and rotation changes that required systemic adjustments, albeit not to the point of loss of identity. Both bucked modern-era trends prompted by advanced metrics in allowing for seemingly unhealthy doses of midrange shots. And both, most importantly, leaned on outstanding mentorship to stay competitive regardless of circumstance.
How soon is now?Consumer Electronics Show an automotive event, too
THE doors to the 2019 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) open on Jan. 8 across 11 venues in Las Vegas, Nevada. The annual event owned and staged by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) is fancied as the “world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies… [serving] as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies… [a] global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace.”
Porsche brings back 911 T in the new 718 T Boxster, Cayman
HALF a century on and Porsche channels the purposeful vibe of its 911 T from 1968 in the newly released 718 T versions of the Boxster and Cayman.
2019 top auto trends, according to GM
GENERAL Motors (GM) International said it collaborated with Richard Watson, founder of the NowAndNext Website and author of Digital vs. Human, in a study meant to determine trends in the automotive industry in 2019. The projections, specific to Asia Pacific, will not all be evident in the region this year, GM said. But it added “one can expect to see them emerge very soon.”
BTC worker among 2 killed in Cotabato bombing
AN EMPLOYEE of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), which drafted the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) that is intended to strengthen peace efforts in the country’s south, was one of the two casualties in the Dec. 31 bomb blast in Cotabato City that also left more than 30 injured.
Multi-agency team to address foreign workers
A TECHNICAL working group (TWG) composed of representatives from the Department of Justice (DoJ), Bureau of Immigration (BI), and Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) will be formed to address the influx of foreign workers in the country.
Moving forward, Toyota knows something its rivals are oblivious to
The transport network vehicle service industry was rocked early last year when Singapore-based Grab acquired the Southeast Asian operations of bitter rival Uber, essentially kicking out the American transport network company from the Philippines and subsequently cornering the bulk of the TNVS business in Metro Manila. To me, however, this wasn’t the biggest news about Grab in 2018. As an automotive journalist, I found Toyota’s sudden involvement in the transport startup more intriguing.
Typhoon Usman death count up to 75, missing at 16
THE LAST typhoon to hit the country in 2018, locally named Usman, claimed 75 lives with 16 still reported missing and 12 injured, according to the Jan. 1 update from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
PHL-US treaty review to help in future agreements with other countries
ANALYSTS agreed with the call of Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana to review the decades-old Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, a move that is seen to help with the Philippines’ future agreements with other countries.
Welcoming 2019
Fireworks spectacles sponsored by local government units and commercial establishments have become more common during New Year’s eve in different parts of the Philippines as the government campaigns to minimize fireworks-related injuries (FRIs).
Zamboanga City prepares business permit one-stop-shop
THE BUSINESS Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) of Zamboanga City is now setting up the Business One Stop Shop (BOSS), which will be in operation from Jan. 3 to Jan. 20.
3-ha Cebu SRP lot up for auction; Jan. 23 set for opening of bids
THE three-hectare lot at the South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu has been opened for public bidding by the city government.
Nation at a Glance — (01/02/19)
News stories from across the nation. Visit www.bworldonline.com (section: The Nation) to read more national and regional news from the Philippines.
