High oil, low dollar.
Byline: The Register-Guard Oil prices are climbing, hitting a record inflation-adjusted high Monday of $103.95 a barrel. A big part of the story is not that oil is worth more, but that the dollar is worth less. The danger is that the United States' weak-dollar policy, the...

NPC puts Masinloc plant on preventive maintenance.
State-run National Power Corporation (NPC) has scheduled its 600-megawatt Masinloc coal-fired power facility for preventive maintenance this month. "Masinloc may be down for less than a month depending on the diagnosis on power plant," the power firm's advisory has noted. It clarified that this has...

WESM prices hit new highs of up to P12/kWh.
Byline: MYRNA M. VELASCO With very low availability of hydro and the runout of coal supply by state-run National Power Corporation, prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) have been trailing new record highs that are even hitting a clearing price of P12 per kilowatt hour...

Reyes courts energy sector investors from ASEAN.
Byline: MYRNA M. VELASCO As he is barely new into the job, Energy Secretary Angelo T. Reyes told media that he will first try his luck inviting investors to the Philippine energy sector with neighbors in the ASEAN region. The energy chief said he will...

PEMC works on establishment of futures contracts for WESM.
Byline: Myrna M. Velasco When the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) finally reaches certain level of maturity, market operator Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) envisions the emergence of a market for forward or futures contracts that may start next year in Luzon. Futures contracts entail...

PEMC works on establishment of futures contracts for WESM.
Byline: MYRNA M. VELASCO When the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) finally reaches certain level of maturity, market operator Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) envisions the emergence of a market for forward or futures contracts that may start next year in Luzon. Futures contracts entail...

Asian stocks rally, set for further gains in 2006.
Byline: LUKE HUNT HONG KONG, Dec. 24 (AFP) a" Asian stocks defied a gathering storm of negative factors and rallied throughout 2005, triggering hopes the markets and investors will shortly see a return to the opulent heights of the late 1990s. Easing economic growth, rising...

Solon seeks probe of coal purchase.
A senior opposition congressman disclosed yesterday that a R320-million coal purchase contract had been awarded by the National Power Corp. (Napocor) to a non-existent supplier. This irregularity, Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casino said, will be the subject of a congressional inquiry in aid of legislation and may...

Cebu to benefit from tie-up of 2 power firms.
Byline: MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR. CEBU CITY -- The KEPCO-SPC Power Corp. welcomes the interest of the Visayan Electric Company (VECO) to source power from the KSPC power plant being constructed in Naga City, saying the partnership will benefit Cebuanos in VECO's franchise area. KEPCO-SPC...

P/$ rate closes at P40.50/$ 1.
The peso exchange rate closed higher at P40.50 to the US dollar yesterday at the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. (PDEx) from P40.55 the previous day. The weighted average rate appreciated to P40.511 from P40.626. Total volume amounted to $ 525.53 million. BSP-held FX swaps at peak...