Philippine Central Bank Hikes Rates as RBI Warns of Persistent Inflation Risks

The Philippine central bank has raised its key interest rate by 25 basis points to 4.50%, signaling a concrete move against rising regional inflationary pressures. Meanwhile, official minutes from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revealed that the Monetary Policy Committee preferred standing pat over immediate action to avoid policy errors stemming from war-related energy price volatility. The RBI highlighted India's significant exposure to geopolitical conflicts, particularly regarding supply chain disruptions and energy costs. This mix of tightening and cautious hawkishness across Asian central banks suggests that interest rates may remain elevated for a longer period. Markets are now closely monitoring how these monetary strategies will impact regional equity indices and local currencies against the USD amid ongoing uncertainty.