As the country's global credit ratings continue to improve, international businesses and investors turn to the Philippines as an attractive destination for capital flows. First Metro Investment Corp (First Metro), the Philippines' leading and largest investment bank, maintains optimism in the country's growth markets. "Ratings upgrade is a badge of good housekeeping, and now is the perfect opportunity to ride into the stock market upswing," says First Metro president Roberto Juanchito Dispo. The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi), which serves as a benchmark for the overall performance of the country's stock market, enters its seventh year of a secular bull run this year and is regarded as one of the best performers in the world. First Metro has more than 50 years of service in the development of domestic capital markets. The company is the investment banking arm of Metropolitan Bank and Trust (Metrobank), the second-largest Philippine bank in terms of assets. First Metro's strategic business units - investment banking, financial markets and investment advisory and trust - allow the company to achieve a balanced portfolio mix. Its consolidated assets grew 10 per cent at 91 billion pesos (HK$16 billion) in September last year, compared with 83 billion pesos the previous year. First Metro holds a notable 91 per cent market share in peso-denominated corporate and government debt transactions. As a quasi-bank licensed by the local central bank, the company can access funds from the public through the issuance of its own debt instruments. First Metro is also authorised by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Bureau of the Treasury to trade government securities. The company further cements its pole position in investment banking with innovative products and services. It launched the First Metro Philippine Equity Exchange-Traded Fund (FMETF) in 2013, the country's first and only ETF. "Buying the FMETF is effectively buying the PSEi. The only other way to replicate an FMETF investment would be to buy all 30 stocks that make up the PSEi," Dispo says. Following the market's positive reception towards its first ETF, First Metro is gearing up to introduce different kinds of ETFs. It has continuing discussions with United States firm BlackRock to put up a peso-denominated ETF tracking the Standard & Poor's 500 index and is set to launch an ETF focusing on consumer stocks through a partnership with Singapore-based DBS Bank. Casting its eyes on Asia, the company inked a deal with Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking this year to explore areas of cooperation, focusing on capital markets and debt-related transactions. First Metro is also on the lookout for partnerships with key market players in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. "We seek business opportunities that would be mutually beneficial - with foreign partners bringing in regional clients to the Philippines and helping our local clients in their expansion into the regional markets," Dispo says. First Metro Investment Corp http://www.firstmetro.com.ph