MANILA — Philippine stocks clawed back ground Thursday, but the index still couldn’t reclaim the psychological 6,000 mark investors have been watching.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index rose 0.70 percent, or 41.70 points, to close at 5,958.64. The broader All Shares index gained 0.54 percent to 3,318.11. Turnover hit about P25.5 billion on more than 747 million shares.
Bargain hunting after two straight down sessions fueled the bounce, Philstocks Financial said. Regina Capital’s Luis Limlingan said investors leaned into lower valuations, though sentiment stayed measured amid market uncertainties tied to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s latest rate hike — limiting how far the rebound could run.
The Fed raised its benchmark by 25 basis points this week, its first hike since 2023. The peso closed Thursday at P62.73 per dollar, little changed from P62.739 the day before, after a record-low finish of P62.86 on Monday, Sept. 14.
Holding firms led sector gains at 1.45 percent; financials slipped 0.82 percent. Decliners still edged advancers, 97 to 93. Among actives, SM Investments rose 2.20 percent to P535, Ayala Corp. jumped 5.05 percent to P508, and ICTSI gained 1.41 percent to P935. Semirara Mining and Power surged 20.06 percent to P20.05 after the Department of Energy ended the 2026 coal bid round covering the Semirara Island mine.
Bottom line: Buyers returned on the dip, but Fed-rate nerves and that stubborn 6,000 ceiling keep Manila’s risk-on mood on a short leash.
