PSEi snaps 3-day slide amid bargain hunting, rate-cut hopes
The Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) rose on Wednesday amid bargain hunting and foreign buying that followed three straight days of losses.
The benchmark PSEi gained 0.41 percent or 26.22 points to close at 6,394.77. Trading was buoyed by positive cues from Wall Street, a stronger peso and hopes of another interest rate cut by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in its upcoming policy meeting.
“Investors appeared to position themselves ahead of the BSP policy rate decision,” said Luis Limlingan, head of sales at stock brokerage house Regina Capital Development Corp.
However, Philstocks financial research manager Japhet Tantiangco said trading remained subdued. The net value turnover reached only P5.13 billion, below the year-to-date daily average of P6.32 billion.
Foreign investors provided support to the market, registering net inflows of P467.67 million. This helped offset cautious sentiment among local participants.
Sectoral performance was mixed, with the industrial counter the lone decliner, falling 0.72 percent. Services led the gains, climbing 1.65 percent.
Market breadth was slightly positive, as advancers edged out decliners, 101 to 93.
Among individual stocks, DigiPlus Interactive Corp. emerged as the top index gainer. It jumped 4.8 percent to P14.42 per share.
On the other hand, Semirara Mining and Power Corp. weighed on the index the most. It plunged 13.6 percent to P22.55, making it the session’s biggest laggard.
Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., said the PSEi has held above the 6,000 level for most trading days over the past two months or since Dec. 12, 2025.
“This is still a positive signal after hitting a near-term bottom of 5,584.35 on Nov. 14, 2025—the lowest in over five years or since May 28, 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns,” Ricafort said.
Analysts said expectations of further monetary easing, along with improving external signals, could continue to provide direction to the local market.
However, investors remain selective amid lingering uncertainties.
