Markets & Finance · Intelligence
—The hike. On June 18, 2026, the Philippine central bank raised its key interest rate to 4.75%, its second increase in a row, to fight rising prices.
—The hold. China, meanwhile, has kept its main lending rates at record lows of 3.0% and 3.5% for a twelfth straight month.
—Opposite problems. The Philippines is battling inflation running near seven per cent; China is battling the reverse — falling prices and weak demand.
—A long fight ahead. Manila expects inflation to stay above its two-to-four per cent target through both 2026 and 2027, effectively ending its run of rate cuts.
