The country’s gross international reserves (GIR) reached US$83.51 billion as of end of May.

This marks a decline by US$0.23 billion from the end of April of US$83.74 billion. The GIR remains ample as it can cover 10.4 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and income. (Source: BSP, based on preliminary data) Source of data: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) To view the time-series data on Gross International Reserves. Please click this Table The average peso-dollar exchange rate went up to 46.802 in May, from 46.285 in April. This is higher compared to 44.611 in the same period last year. Source of data: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) To view the time-series data on monthly average peso-dollar exchange rate. Please click this Table The year-on-year headline inflation rate accelerated to 1.6 percent in May, from 1.1 percent in April. Interestingly, As noted in the press release of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the higher annual increments were noted in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages; alcoholic beverages and tobacco; clothing and footwear; furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house; health; transport; communication; recreation and culture; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services. Likewise, the core inflation rate went up to 1.6 percent, from 1.5 percent a month ago. Source of data: Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) To view the time-series data on year-on-year inflation rate. Please click this Table