Keep housing loans in check, banks urged

The Philippine banking system is broadly healthy given its strong asset quality and capital adequacy, but regulators must keep a careful eye on banks’ rising exposure to the real estate sector, a study by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) said.

Driven by healthy investor confidence, Philippine banks saw profits rise by 18.5 percent in 2013, its fastest pace in three years, the London-based think tank said in its assessment of the country’s banking industry.