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EastWest hosts ‘partnership perspectives’ for priority clients

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EAST West Banking Corporation (EastWest) recently convened its Priority clients for “Partnership Perspectives: Guiding You Through Today’s Markets,” an exclusive briefing that delivered timely market insights, investment perspectives, and direct access to the Bank’s experts.

The session featured a market outlook from EastWest chief investment adviser Bede Gomez, who discussed key global risks—including geopolitical tensions, oil price shocks, and inflationary pressures—and their potential impact on investment decisions.

Gomez underscored the importance of building resilient portfolios through diversification across asset classes, maintaining liquidity, and focusing on quality investments. He noted that investors may benefit from a balanced strategy that includes bonds, dividend-paying equities, and defensive sectors, while using assets such as gold and select currencies as buffers against volatility.

“Staying balanced—by maintaining liquidity, focusing on quality, and building in protection—can help investors manage risk more effectively while remaining well-positioned to capture opportunities,” Gomez said.

The program also included a funds update, highlighting EastWest’s disciplined investment approach to preserving and growing clients’ wealth through well-managed, diversified portfolios aligned with varying market conditions.

“In today’s environment, where the economic landscape is constantly evolving, it is more important than ever to stay informed and connected,” said Rafael S. Algarra Jr., EastWest senior executive vice president and head of financial markets and wealth management. “This session was organized to create a space where we can share insights, exchange perspectives, and better understand how these market developments may impact businesses, investments, and financial decisions in the months ahead.”

EastWest regularly hosts market outlook sessions for its Priority clients, providing a platform for timely discussions on economic trends and their potential impact on financial decisions. This initiative reflects the Bank’s commitment to being a trusted financial partner—providing timely insights and relevant perspectives, complemented by resources such as the Economic Watch email newsletter.

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Business

EastWest posts P1.9 billion net income in 1Q2026

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MANILA, Philippines – East West Banking Corporation (EastWest) reported a net income of P1.9 billion for the first three months of 2026, driven by the sustained performance of the Bank’s core businesses amid a challenging macroeconomic and geopolitical environment.

Revenues increased by 15% to P13.3 billion, supported by the continued expansion of the Bank’s core businesses. Net interest income rose by 20% to P11.1 billion, reflecting higher loan volumes and effective funding cost management. Non-interest income stood at P2.2 billion, tempered by softer trading performance amid volatile markets, even as fee income grew by 8% to P1.9 billion, underscoring sustained customer activity.

“The Bank’s revenue generation capacity remains strong despite market volatility impacting trading-related revenues across the industry. This highlights the stability of our earnings base even in an uncertain operating environment,” said EastWest Chief Executive Officer Jerry G. Ngo.

Excluding the impact of market volatility on trading-related income, core income grew by 19% to P13.6 billion, underscoring the strength of the Bank’s recurring earnings base.

Operating expenses increased marginally by 1% to P6.4 billion, driven mainly by volume-related costs, while the Bank maintained disciplined investments in people and technology. Pre-Provision Operating Profit (PPOP) remained resilient, rising by 32% to P6.9 billion and registering an efficient cost-to-income ratio (CIR) of 47.9%.

Provisions for credit losses amounted to P4.7 billion, reflecting the Bank’s conservative and forward-looking approach to credit risk management, should macroeconomic challenges persist. NPL coverage stood at 85%, reflecting the Bank’s measured approach to managing credit risk.

EastWest’s assets increased by 11% to P588.9 billion, mainly from healthy lending expansion, with loans growing by 14% to P390.4 billion. This was supported by similar growth in funding, with deposits increasing by 14% to P455.3 billion. CASA ratio remained robust at 78%, highlighting the Bank’s stable funding base.

The Bank also maintained solid capital buffers, with a Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 12.8% and CET1 ratio of 12.0%, both well above regulatory standards, providing sufficient capacity to navigate uncertainty and support growth.

“We strive to remain steady through changing market conditions. By remaining disciplined, we preserve our flexibility and resilience, allowing us to support customers and capture growth opportunities as conditions become more favorable,” Ngo concluded.

Beyond its financial performance, EastWest also continued to gain recognition for customer experience, digital innovation, and wealth management. ESTA earned three honors at the Digital CX Awards 2026: Best Use of AI for Customer Experience – Philippines, Best Use of Gen AI for Customer Experience – Philippines, and Outstanding Chatbot Customer Experience, highlighting the Bank’s continued use of AI and digital tools to make banking more responsive, accessible, and customer-focused.

EastWest was also named the Philippines’ Best for Discretionary Portfolio Management at the 2026 Euromoney Private Banking Awards, securing a second consecutive win in the category and affirming the Bank’s disciplined investment approach for affluent, high-net-worth, institutional, and Priority clients.

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Business

EastWest equips VisMin clients with market guidance for 2026 Economic outlook briefing

by Contributor
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MANILA, Philippines — East West Banking Corporation (EastWest) hosted the Cebu and Davao legs of its curated Economic Outlook Briefing series to equip clients with exclusive insights designed to help them navigate opportunities in a fast‑shifting and uncertain economic landscape.

The events gathered clients from EastWest’s Retail, Priority, and Corporate Banking groups for a concise, data‑grounded view of the country’s macro environment.

Bede Gomez, chief investment adviser at EastWest, delivered the briefing, underscoring the Philippines’ resilience amid evolving global economic conditions. He highlighted that the country’s relatively lower export dependence compared to regional peers provides a measure of insulation against global trade slowdowns.

He noted that strong domestic consumption continues to underpin economic growth, while cautioning that discretionary spending may moderate in the near term. Gomez also emphasized that prolonged geopolitical tensions could pose potential risks to OFW remittances and weigh on investor sentiment, reinforcing the importance of disciplined financial planning and a long-term investment approach.

With this, Gomez encouraged investors to approach 2026 with a focus on building well‑hedged portfolios, emphasizing diversification, balanced asset allocation, multi‑strategy approaches, and prudent duration and liquidity management.

He also highlighted the value of investing in diversified defensive assets, such as essential service sectors, renewable and alternative energy, gold and precious metals, intermediate-term bonds, investment-grade corporate bonds, and dividend-paying securities.

“Lasting wealth is not built through speculation, but on fundamentals, discipline, patience, and sound risk governance,” Gomez said.

Aside from the economic outlook briefing, EastWest also announced its strategic partnership with the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) for the Economic Watch email newsletter, a curated source of market insights and trends to guide clients in navigating key financial decisions throughout the year.

“At EastWest, we believe that being a trusted partner means providing the foresight you need to navigate the market with confidence, especially in a year defined by such high energy and rapid momentum,” said Rafael Algarra, Jr., senior executive vice president and head of financial markets and wealth management. “Whether through our Economic Watch newsletter or our evolving suite of services, we are dedicated to helping you renew your goals and strengthen your path forward.”

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