Market & Mainstreet
LPG Prices Cut Early as Nvidia’s CEO Quits, Oil Jumps and Investment Pledges Double
The Daily Scan – November 13, 2026 (Fri)
LPG firms are cutting prices early, by up to P44 per 11-kilo tank, as global LPG costs fall. Investment pledges nearly doubled to P628 billion in the third quarter, but promised jobs barely moved, and BCDA is targeting P165 billion in new partnerships in Clark and New Clark City within three months. Over 1,400 vendors hit by ASEAN Summit security received cash aid. Abroad, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang resigned as CEO, oil jumped after President Trump said the US doesn’t “need a deal with Iran,” and the UK economy grew 0.7 percent on AI-related work. For business owners: plan for 13th month pay, take advantage of cheaper LPG, and make sure your business doesn’t depend on one person.
| LPG (11-kg) | Q3 pledges | US 10-year yield | Brent |
| -₱44 |
₱628B |
5.12% |
$95.82 |
SECTION 1 · Philippines
● LPG firms cut prices early, by up to P44 per tank
WHAT HAPPENED
Petron Gasul and Fiesta Gas cut P44 from each 11-kilo cylinder as of Nov. 12, and Solane cut P4 a kilo, The Philippine Star reported on Nov. 13. Regasco started a weekly rollback today with P2 a kilo. The Department of Energy approved the early cuts ahead of the usual monthly adjustment, as Saudi Aramco’s LPG contract prices fell $110 per metric ton. “Right now, these rollbacks are each brand’s effort, so we absorb the costs initially,” said Regasco president Arnel Ty. He expects LPG prices to ease further from December into early 2027.
UNCERTAIN
Whether more cuts come in December. That depends on global prices continuing to fall, and oil jumped again yesterday after President Trump’s comments on Iran.
WHY IT MATTERS
LPG is a major cost for carinderias, bakeries, restaurants and households. The report noted some families had switched to firewood and charcoal because of high prices.
RISK / OPPORTUNITY
Opportunity: lower cooking costs for food businesses in time for the Christmas rush. Risk: prices turning back up if oil climbs.
NEXT MOVE
If you run a food business, check whether your supplier has passed on the cut, and compare brands before your next order.
● Investment pledges nearly double to P628 billion, but jobs barely move
WHAT HAPPENED
Approved investments reached P628.19 billion in the third quarter, up 82.7 percent from a year earlier, astig.ph reported, citing the Philippine Statistics Authority. Foreign pledges more than doubled to P166.03 billion, led by Taiwan with P76.27 billion, followed by Singapore and South Korea. Power and utilities made up 63.3 percent of the total, followed by real estate and manufacturing. Yet the projects are expected to create only 27,799 jobs, slightly fewer than a year ago. The report noted, “They are pledges, not spending.”
UNCERTAIN
How many projects actually get built. The PSA counts pledges whether or not they move forward, and only six of 16 investment agencies reported.
WHY IT MATTERS
Most of the money is going into power plants and property, which need a lot of capital but few workers. That is good for future power supply, but it won’t fix weak job growth soon.
RISK / OPPORTUNITY
Opportunity: construction, engineering and services tied to new power and property projects. Risk: slow hiring keeps household spending weak.
NEXT MOVE
If you sell to builders or energy firms, track which pledged projects are actually breaking ground near you and reach out early.
● BCDA targets P165 billion in new partnerships within three months
WHAT HAPPENED
The Bases Conversion and Development Authority aims to close about P165 billion in new investment partnerships within three months, CEO Joshua Bingcang said, according to Context.ph on Nov. 13. BCDA’s board approved proposals from two Indian companies, including a P4 billion development. A European company is preparing a lease in Clark and has asked BCDA to build its facility, which Bingcang called a “multibillion-peso investment.” BCDA is also working on modern farming ventures in New Clark City and power supply deals, as the area’s demand is expected to exceed 100 megawatts next year. Approved investments reached P145.46 billion from January to October, up from P59.98 billion a year earlier.
UNCERTAIN
How much becomes real projects. The report said the challenge is turning approved proposals into operating businesses, and few company names were disclosed.
WHY IT MATTERS
Clark and New Clark City are becoming major investment hubs, along with the planned Pax Silica tech zone.
RISK / OPPORTUNITY
Opportunity: suppliers, contractors, food businesses and service providers in Pampanga and Tarlac. Risk: delays if investors hesitate.
NEXT MOVE
If you are in Central Luzon, register as a supplier with BCDA and Clark locators, and build a profile aimed at foreign companies.
● Over 1,400 vendors hit by ASEAN security get cash aid
WHAT HAPPENED
At least 1,462 vendors in Parañaque City received P10,000 each in cash aid and food packs on Thursday after being temporarily barred from working because of ASEAN Summit security, GMA News reported. Earlier, 90 vendors in Pasay City received aid, and DSWD planned to help 700 to 800 more in Pasay today. “Humihingi kami ng paumanhin sa lahat ng mga vendors, karinderya, eateries na naapektuhan nitong ASEAN summit,” said DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian. The PNP is on full alert in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon starting today.
UNCERTAIN
How long the restrictions last and which areas are covered. The report did not list road closures.
WHY IT MATTERS
Small food businesses and vendors near the summit venues are losing days of income during an already hard year.
RISK / OPPORTUNITY
Risk: lost sales and delivery delays in Pasay and Parañaque through the summit. Opportunity: businesses outside the security zones may get more customers over the Nov. 16 to 18 break.
NEXT MOVE
If you operate near the venues, ask your barangay or city hall about the aid, and move deliveries and events away from summit days.
SECTION 2 · Worth Knowing
● Nvidia’s Jensen Huang resigns as CEO
WHAT HAPPENED
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned on Thursday after the board opened an investigation into his relationship with a woman suspected of being a Chinese government agent, AP reported via WPTF. Chief financial officer Colette Kress was named interim CEO. Nvidia shares fell 14 percent at the open but closed down 4.3 percent. The S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq each closed down 0.4 percent, recovering most early losses, as AMD and Broadcom rose more than 5 percent. Analysts said Nvidia remains the industry leader and chip sales are still strong.
UNCERTAIN
Who leads Nvidia long term. Earnings on Nov. 17 will be the first test of the new leadership.
WHY IT MATTERS
Nvidia sits at the center of the AI boom behind Philippine electronics exports. A smooth handover helps keep orders steady.
RISK / OPPORTUNITY
Risk: more swings in tech stocks and chip orders while leadership is unsettled.
NEXT MOVE
If you serve electronics or tech clients, watch Nvidia’s results on Nov. 17 for signs of change in AI spending.
● Oil jumps after Trump says the US doesn’t need an Iran deal
WHAT HAPPENED
Brent crude climbed to about $96 a barrel on Thursday after President Trump posted, “We don’t need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed,” OilPrice.com reported. He also said Washington controls Iran’s money and the Strait of Hormuz. Days earlier, he had called the war “militarily effectively over.” Iran said it would not send enriched nuclear material out of the country, and claimed four tankers were struck by explosions over two days, which has not been independently verified. Brent is still down about 25 percent from its late-October high of $118.
UNCERTAIN
What Trump’s statement means for talks. Shipping through the Gulf remains far from normal, so prices react sharply to every statement.
WHY IT MATTERS
Higher oil could slow or stop the run of local fuel rollbacks, and it pushed US Treasury yields up to 5.12 percent, which weighs on the peso.
RISK / OPPORTUNITY
Risk: fuel prices rising again next week.
NEXT MOVE
Hold off on cutting delivery fees permanently. Use temporary promos instead, which you can end if fuel goes up.
● The UK economy grows 0.7 percent on AI-related work
WHAT HAPPENED
The UK economy grew 0.7 percent in the third quarter, up from 0.5 percent in the second and its strongest quarter since early 2024, Reuters reported via Investing.com. Computer programming and consultancy made the largest contribution, and the statistics office noted “widespread strength in industries which may be related to artificial intelligence.” Business investment grew just 0.4 percent, and retail sales fell in September. Markets see a 73 percent chance of another Bank of England hike in December.
UNCERTAIN
Whether it lasts. Some economists expect slower growth in the fourth quarter as energy prices and borrowing costs bite.
WHY IT MATTERS
AI-related services are driving growth in a major economy. That means more demand for tech talent and outsourced digital work, areas where Filipino freelancers and agencies compete.
RISK / OPPORTUNITY
Opportunity: UK demand for programming, data and digital support. Risk: weaker UK consumer spending.
NEXT MOVE
If you offer tech or digital services, highlight AI-related skills in your pitches to UK and European clients.
SECTION 3 · THE OPPORTUNITY BEHIND THE NEWS
13th month pay is coming, and so is Christmas spending
DOLE has reminded employers that 13th month pay “must be released on or before Dec. 24,” News Watch Plus reported on Nov. 12, citing Labor Advisory No. 21. It covers rank-and-file employees who worked at least one month during the year, including piece-rate workers, employees paid by commission, those with several employers, and workers who resigned or were let go. The minimum is one-twelfth of an employee’s total basic salary for the year. For employers, this is a cost to plan for now, especially with cash tight. For businesses that sell to consumers, it is the biggest spending boost of the year, arriving in a season when households are otherwise cautious. Retailers, restaurants and online sellers can plan “13th month” promos for the weeks when most workers get paid, usually early to mid-December. Agencies can pitch Christmas campaigns timed to payout dates. Value bundles, installment offers and gift sets are likely to sell best this year, with inflation near 8 percent.
SECTION 4 · FOUNDER’S LESSON
Have someone ready to take over
When Jensen Huang resigned, Nvidia named CFO Colette Kress interim CEO the same day and appointed Harvey C. Jones as the board’s first-ever chair, The Motley Fool reported. The shares fell as much as 14 percent at the open but recovered to close down 4.3 percent. The writer expects strong near-term sales but said “what will happen over the long term without Huang” is the key question. On Tuesday, we wrote that a business tied to one person is at risk. Nvidia shows the other half of the lesson: a company that can name a capable leader within hours limits the damage. In a small business, that might mean a trusted manager who can approve payments, talk to key clients and keep operations running if you are sick, traveling or busy. Choose one person, train them on the essentials, give them access to the accounts and systems they would need, and let them run the business for a day or two before you need them to.
SECTION 5 · ONE REAL SIGNAL
The BSP says it will weigh slow growth in its next rate decisions
The BSP said on Wednesday evening that it will weigh slowing economic growth alongside high inflation in future rate decisions, The Daily Chronicle reported. “We are carefully assessing the implications of the latest growth data for the inflation outlook,” it said, while adding that it is “mindful of the need to prevent the de-anchoring of inflation expectations.” The BSP did not commit to further hikes and said decisions will depend on incoming data. It noted that monetary policy cannot directly fix supply-driven inflation, such as from oil and El Niño, but can limit its spread to other prices. Our reading: after economists said this week that more hikes were coming, this is the first clear sign the BSP may slow down. A smaller hike, or a pause, in December is now more likely than a large one. That doesn’t mean lower rates soon, but it may mean borrowing costs stop rising. If you are planning a loan for early 2027, watch the BSP’s December decision closely before you lock in.
Summarized in our own words with links to every source. We don’t reproduce full articles or bypass paywalls. Interpretation is labeled as such and kept separate from reported fact.
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