S-REITs and the regional REIT market, real estate funds, institutional mandates and cross-border transactions.
SEC Chairperson Francisco Ed. Lim urged financial executives to introduce companies to the capital market earlier, as the Philippines lags regional peers with 279 listed firms and no IPOs in 2026. He called on FINEX members to help entrepreneurs view the capital market as a growth platform.
The Commission on Audit found a P31-billion discrepancy between NIA's general ledger and physical inventory, and P22.8 billion in assets lacking property records. Deficiencies also left 45,783.9 hectares of farmland without operational irrigation, with 63 contracts worth P7.7 billion damaged or defi
Nvidia-backed CoreWeave plans to raise US$3 billion through a convertible debt offering to fund AI infrastructure. The neocloud also launched an at-the-market stock sale program for up to 35 million shares, potentially raising about US$2.92 billion.
Lagenda Capital, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lagenda Properties, has completed its first RM475 million issuance under a RM1.5 billion sukuk wakalah programme. Proceeds will fund Shariah-compliant inter-company advances for affordable housing developments and working capital.
The US Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 3.75-4 per cent on Sep 16, its first increase since 2023, citing stubborn inflation. Analysts are split on whether further hikes will follow, with implications for Asian currencies and Singapore mortgage rates.
Glomac Bhd posted a net profit of RM7.6 million for the first quarter ended July 31, 2026, reversing a net loss of RM1.42 million a year earlier. Revenue surged 163% to RM68.53 million on higher property development activity, though sequential performance weakened.
More than 480 acres have been reclaimed for the planned 2,300-acre Silicon Island off Penang, with RM1.9 billion invested to date. The figures, released by Pulau Tikus assemblyman Joshua Woo Sze Zeng, mark three years since reclamation began in September 2023.
MP Global Realty Sdn Bhd and EdgeProp Malaysia have signed a memorandum of understanding to promote property data, market intelligence and digital technology in Malaysia's real estate sector. The partnership aims to enhance the capabilities of real estate professionals and support informed decision-
Alphex Realty has formalised strategic collaborations with EdgeProp and law firm Manjit Singh Sachdev Mohammad Radzi & Partners at its grand opening in Petaling Jaya. The move supports the platform's goal of fostering industry cooperation and partner growth, building on Alpha Group's track record.
Anthropic is merging the chat and Cowork features of its Claude AI assistant into a single interface and launching new document and presentation tools, Claude Docs and Claude Slides in beta. The move follows OpenAI's July launch of ChatGPT Work, as the two IPO-bound firms compete for enterprise and
Chinabank Research warns the DoF's proposed sin taxes could raise sugary drink prices by around 30% and push 2027 inflation above the BSP's 4% ceiling, reaching up to 4.5%. Nomura also raised its inflation forecasts on oil price pressures.
The Philippines is projected to be Southeast Asia's second fastest-growing major economy, with average annual GDP growth of 5.8% from 2026 to 2035, according to a Bain & Company, DBS Group Holdings and Vriens & Partners report. Only Vietnam, at 6.2%, is expected to grow faster among the six major re
Alternergy Holdings Corp. plans to raise P2 billion through its maiden green fixed-rate notes issue in the Philippine debt capital market. Proceeds will support pre-development of projects awarded under the government's fourth Green Energy Auction.
Payment infrastructure provider HitPay has launched CFO Stack, a suite of financial tools for SMEs, starting with B2B collections via Virtual Accounts. The feature is now live in Singapore and the Philippines, with BillPay, Payroll and Spend Management to follow in later phases.
The government has fully secured the station-area right-of-way for the NAIA Terminal 3 station of the Metro Manila Subway Project, clearing a key requirement for construction. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced the milestone at the groundbreaking for Contract Package 109, which covers the u
The Philippine Department of Transportation is inviting consultants for feasibility studies and master plans for three airport projects. The contracts cover the new Surigao Airport and the Cagayancillo and Taytay airports, with a combined budget of P158.16 million.
Novo Nordisk has partnered with Anthropic to use its Claude models to accelerate drug discovery and development. The Danish drugmaker will deploy the AI in research workflows and software development, building on existing use of Claude to cut trial report generation from months to minutes.
India's National Stock Exchange will launch its US$2.3 billion public offering on Sep 16, pricing shares 15-20 per cent below earlier roadshow expectations amid declining derivative trading volumes. The offer values the bourse at US$46 billion, with subscriptions opening Thursday and closing Sep 21.
Malaysia's government has approached Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air about taking over AirAsia's routes and passengers, as it monitors the budget carrier's financial health. The two airlines are willing to expand organically but would only take on AirAsia's operations on a large scale if they could
Singapore launched more than 200 AI-related training courses on Sep 16, with eligible citizens receiving six-month free subscriptions to premium AI tools. The Skills and Workforce Development Agency also opened Connect by SWDA, a one-stop careers and skills centre at the Lifelong Learning Institute.
Meta is preparing to launch a camera-free pair of smart glasses, code-named Luna, this fall, according to The Information. The device features six microphones and a side button for activating Meta AI, and could be unveiled at the Connect conference next week.
The Financial Stability Coordination Council is taking preemptive steps to cushion the Philippine financial system against shocks from the Middle East war and volatile global markets. Measures include stricter oversight of nonbank lenders and enhanced risk monitoring, even as banks' property exposur
MREIT, Inc. has secured SEC approval for its P27-billion Wave 5 property-for-share swap, which will add about 303,900 sq.m. of gross leasable area and lift assets under management to about P122 billion. The transaction brings income contributions effective 1 Jul 2026 and shifts the portfolio mix tow
Meta Platforms has launched Meta One, a subscription service offering enhanced AI capabilities and more than 50 features across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Monthly plans start at US$2.99 for single products and rise to US$14.99 for creator and business bundles. The service has already attracte
Dexus Wholesale Property Fund returned 9.3 per cent in the year to 30 June, its strongest result in four years, and has cleared a redemption queue that exceeded A$1 billion. Manager Brad Collier says high yields and rental growth are supporting returns without cap-rate compression, with retail and M
Charter Hall's Steve Bennett says Australia's ageing population and government focus on preventative care will drive demand for life science real estate. The fund manager's A$9.2 billion direct property business recently launched a five-year wholesale vehicle invested in a Brisbane pathology complex
Pro-invest Group says returns over the next decade will hinge on operating expertise as much as property ownership, citing its A$3 billion platform and the Coogee Sands Hotel & Apartments as proof. The firm sees urban accommodation, hospitality-backed flexible stays, as a key growth sector amid affo
SpaceX's Starfall capsule program has signed its first customer, Luxembourg-based integrator Space Cargo, for a 2028 reentry mission aboard Starship. Space Cargo will place its BentoBox system on the capsule to return up to 1 ton of payloads from orbit.
Forbes’ real-time data ranks Philip and Robert Ng of Far East Organization as Singapore’s wealthiest property billionaires, with net worths of US$7 billion and US$6.9 billion. Hotel tycoons Ji Qi, Choo Chong Ngen and Asok Kumar Hiranandani round out the top five.
Ark Investment Management founder Cathie Wood said the pledge by AI leaders to slow the rapid progression of the technology is a positive step for the industry's development. Her comments follow calls from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, backed by Elon Musk and Sam Altman, for a slower rate of model cap
EXSIM Hospitality Bhd's wholly-owned subsidiary, EXSIM Concepto Sdn Bhd, has accepted a RM42.48 million appointment as nominated subcontractor from Taghill Projects Sdn Bhd. The building services and general works contract runs for 24 months from Sept 15, 2026. The underlying project was not identif
House of Investments Inc. posted a 27% rise in 2025 consolidated net income to P3.6 billion, driven by its financial services and school businesses. The Yuchengco-led holding company plans to expand recurring income across insurance, education, energy, and property.
JPMorgan will launch its GBI-EM Edge frontier market local currency government bond index by end-September, covering 26 countries and tracking nearly US$330 billion of debt. The new benchmark includes Egypt, Vietnam, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, with nominal yiel
Barwon Investment Partners, majority owned by Hillhouse’s Rava Partners, has acquired the 350-bed Peninsula Private Hospital in Langwarrin, Victoria, for A$291.25m from Australian Unity. The deal is the largest ever sale of a private healthcare facility in Australia, according to broker JLL.
IOI Properties Group has increased its allocation for project development, property investment and related activities under its Malaysian REIT exercise to RM3.07 billion, from RM1.55 billion previously. The revised allocation represents 66 per cent of the estimated RM4.66 billion in total gross proc
Far East Organization, controlled by Singapore's third-richest billionaires, has sold a freehold site at 134 Watten Estate Road for S$66 million, or about S$2,266 psf. The buyer is boutique developer Aurum Land, a subsidiary of Woh Hup Group.
FleetPartners has received revised takeover offers from SG Fleet, ORIX and a Sumitomo-led consortium, valuing the vehicle leasing firm at up to A$982.1 million. The sweetened bids top SG Fleet's previous leading offer of A$844.8 million, while Canada's Element Fleet has dropped out of the race.
Bain Capital has hired former Blackstone managing director Matt Koskinen to lead its Australia and New Zealand real estate strategy, while CapitaLand Development has named Tze Wooi Tan as CEO of its Vietnam business. HSBC group CFO Pam Kaur will step down by the bank's 2027 annual meeting.
Analysts expect Philippine banks to maintain subdued real estate exposure for the remainder of 2026 as tighter economic conditions dampen developer sentiment and property demand. BSP data shows the real estate exposure ratio fell to 18.72% at end-June, the lowest in nearly seven years, though total
BusinessWorld launches Part 1 of its two-part 39th Anniversary Report, examining how the Philippines can move beyond absorbing shocks to build a crisis-ready economy. The report gathers perspectives from across the business community on strengthening institutions, diversifying growth drivers and mak
The Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee is considering expanding an ongoing food security project to additional regions as the government works to address hunger. The committee also discussed amendments to infrastructure projects aimed at improving connectivity.
Executives from DWS, Invesco Real Estate and Gaw Capital Partners will join the Mingtiandi Australia Forum on 15 September to discuss rental apartments, student housing and senior living. The event comes as Australia's build-to-rent sector posts an 8.7 per cent total return in the year to June.
The bodies of 30 passengers killed in a fire aboard the M/V June Aster arrived in Coron, Palawan, on Saturday. The coast guard warned the death toll of 35 is expected to rise as 54 people remain unaccounted for.
AI startup Discovery Loop is targeting a US$50 billion valuation in its latest fundraising, Business Insider reports. The California-based company, founded by former Google AI leaders including Jeff Dean, was reportedly valued at around US$10 billion in discussions last month.
North Korea launched an unidentified projectile toward the sea east of the Korean Peninsula on 12 Sep 2026, according to South Korea's defence ministry. South Korean authorities are analysing the projectile's specifications and range. The launch follows more than 10 short-range ballistic missile lau
Amara Holdings has put its 140-room Sentosa hotel on the market at an indicative S$158 million, nearly double its 2025 valuation. Jones Lang LaSalle and Knight Frank are running the expression-of-interest exercise until 1 Oct.
Global bond yields hit multi-year highs and Asian stocks tumbled on 11 Sep after Brent crude surged to a four-month high of US$109.97 a barrel, stoking inflation fears. The benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield climbed to 4.9708 per cent, its highest in three years, as markets priced in more central b
OpenAI has launched ChatGPT for Financial Services, a version of its AI model built for investment bankers and equity researchers. Developed with Morgan Stanley and Evercore, the product integrates datasets from LSEG, PitchBook and Daloopa, and is powered by the new GPT-6 Astra model.
PNB Holdings Corp. has set an initial reference price of P1.20 per share for its planned Sept. 25 listing by way of introduction, implying a market capitalisation of about P56.3 billion. The price is near the lower end of the P1.18-to-P1.89 valuation range from an independent fairness opinion.
IBM and NASA have released an open-source AI model to help scientists analyse decades of lunar data. The model, trained on data from nine instruments across four NASA missions, can identify ice deposits and map craters with up to 23 per cent greater accuracy than existing methods.
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