EARNINGS of Ayala Corp. (AC) increased by five percent in the first quarter of 2019, driven by the strong performance of its property, banking, and telco units, complemented by gains from the merger of its education arm with the Yuchengco group.

DIVERSIFIED conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) will have to conduct a tender offer to minority shareholders of Holcim Philippines, Inc. (HPI) in relation to its $2.15-billion acquisition of the listed cement manufacturer.

LT Group, Inc. (LTG) generated a 22% attributable profit increase in the three months ending March, following a double-digit profit growth in its banking, tobacco, liquor, and real estate businesses.

THE PESO strengthened against the greenback on Friday after the central bank cut policy rates amid easing inflation expectations.

THE HOME Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) booked a higher net income in first quarter on improved loan demand and collections.

SHARES slipped on Friday as investors focused on the US’ tariff hike on $200-billion worth of Chinese goods.

THE CENTRAL BANK’s Monetary Board (MB) on Thursday cut benchmark interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) in its third policy review for the year, hours after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the economy grew at the slowest clip in four years last quarter and two days after the PSA said inflation eased to the slowest pace in 16 months in April.

PHILIPPINE gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5.6% in the first quarter, its worst performance in four years, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported on Thursday.

THE ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION (ERC) has issued a resolution that adds other circumstances that will prompt distribution utilities, including the country’s biggest -- Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), to activate their interruptible load program (ILP) and ease energy demand in the system.

LOS ANGELES — Walt Disney Co. on Tuesday pushed back the release of James Cameron’s sequel to box-office champion Avatar by a year, to December 2021, and announced debut dates for new Star Wars films starting in December 2022.

EARNINGS of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) slumped by 18% in the first three months of 2019, as its fuel and food businesses were weighed down by volatile global oil prices and higher input costs.

GOOGLE’S paid music services have eclipsed 15 million subscribers, according to two people familiar with the numbers, a milestone for a company that has struggled to build subscription media businesses.