Your Morning Fix

• Meralco announced a decrease in electricity rates for May, lowering the overall rate by PHP 0.7499 per kilowatt-hour, driven by lower generation and transmission costs.
• The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry urges the new Congress to pass economic measures that enhance business competitiveness, including extending MSME loan allocations and strengthening the oversight on international shipping charges through the proposed International Maritime Trade Competitiveness Act.
• The Philippine government is considering seasonal tariffs on rice imports to stabilize farmers’ incomes and market prices, following a proposal from the Federation of Free Farmers
• The Bank of Japan remains committed to its rate hike stance, expecting wage and price rises despite US tariff uncertainty. Deputy Governor Shinichi Uchida said tariffs may slow growth, but the BOJ will raise rates if economic conditions improve.
• US consumer prices rose modestly in April at 2.3%, marking the smallest annual increase in four years, though inflation remains uncertain amid new tariffs.