Philippines Monthly Economic Developments (November 2018)

This newsletter includes the following headlines: Philippine economic growth moderated to 6.1 percent year-to-year in the third quarter; The services sector drove economic growth while the agriculture sector underperformed; While manufacturing growth slowed in September, it is projected to accelerate in the next few month; A surge in imports and a contraction in exports resulted in the widest merchandise trade gap so far in 2018; Headline inflation held steady in October while food inflation moderated for the first time since May; The Philippine peso appreciated 1-2 percent month-on-month in October from Php/USD 54.25 to Php/USD 53.61; The fiscal deficit widened in the first three quarters of 2018. as rapid expenditure growth outpaced revenue growth.