Philippine shares rose on Wednesday on expectations its central bank would remain accommodative at a monetary policy meeting later this week, while Malaysian equities traded cautiously ahead of fourth-quarter GDP data. Regional stock markets traded in tight ranges ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays which start this week, while emerging Asian currencies were also range-bound. The Manila stock market index climbed as much as 1.3% to hit its highest level in nearly three weeks. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate steady at a record low on Thursday, brushing aside a projected uptick in inflation to support the country's pandemic-hit economy, a Reuters poll showed. BSP would likely look through a recent increase in inflation and maintain an easy monetary policy stance, Standard Chartered analysts wrote in a note. Annual inflation hit its highest level in two years in January. Further aiding sentiment, the government raised 221.2 … [Read more...] about Philippine shares climb ahead of c.bank meeting; Malaysia muted before GDP data