FULL PRIVATIZATION? An earnest JG Summit Petrochemical Corp. is aggressively offering to buy the government's 40 percent state in Petron Corp., causing share prices of Petron to rise by 7.1 percent to P6.00 per share. Petron is diversifying into petrochemicals, and will require huge investments to sustain profitability. Photo taken on April 9, 2008 during the market unveiling of Petron's newly opened petrochemical facility in Limay, Bataan province. AFP PHOTO / CHARLIE OLILA
SLIGHTLY UP. Showing a healthy uptrend, gross international reserves rose to $36.7 billion in April, already nearing the upper end of the central bank's yearend target of $35-$37 billion. The latest reserve level is good for 6.2 months of imports of goods and payments of services and income, central bank said.
STILL RISING. With April's annual inflation accelerating at a much-faster-than-expected clip of 8.3 percent, some analysts are already predicting inflation to peak well over 9.0 percent in the coming months with the continued rise in food and fuel prices. The central bank though is optimistic inflation will be manageable in the near future. Graph by BERNADETTE GARCIA / INQUIRER.net
WHY SMALL BUSINESSES NEED A VISION STATEMENT. Vision statements are not just for decoration in posh company lobbies or annual reports. Business mentor Willy Arcilla says they provide small businesses with a "guiding star" that can keep them glued to what drives their passion. Video taken by INQUIRER.net business editor Ma. Salve Duplito in Makati City, Philippines.
INFLATION. A watermelon vendor rests while waiting for customers in a public market in suburban Manila on April 23, 2008 as the price of goods has increased due to food shortages around the world. Philippine President Gloria Arroyo on April 21 asked private corporations to do more to ease the effects of rising food and fuel prices on their workers. AFP PHOTO / LUIS LIWANAG
SOLID ELECTRONIC IMPORTS. Imports in the first two months of the year grew 24.9 percent to $9.48 billion, while exports rose 8.3 percent to $8.34 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $1.14 billion. Electronics imports, which accounted for 41.9 percent of the total bill in February, rose 9.8 percent to $1.88 billion. Graph by BERNADETTE GARCIA/INQUIRER.net
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