The local stock market plunged at the start of the week as the intensifying unrest in the Middle East worries investors.
The main index was down by 67.51 points or 1.08 percent closing at 6,198.83, with all sectoral indices except for Mining and Oil seeing losses, notably the Holding Firms and Industrial sectors which dropped by 91.12 points (1.53 percent) and 78.48 points (0.89 percent) respectively.
Total volume of shares traded closed at 815 million valued at P3.7 billion as losers outdo gainers 116 to 64 with 35 unchanged.
Regina Capital Development Corporation Managing Director Luis Limlingan said “the local bourse opened the week below 6200 as investors continued to monitor the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.”
“The increasing geopolitical tension in the Middle East propelled oil prices to skyrocket,” he added.
He noted the release of the US retail sales report on Oct. 17, the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book for the November Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Oct. 18, the jobless claims and Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index reports on Oct. 19 -- are all economic data that may determine investor sentiment throughout the week.
In the Philippines, “the OFW Cash remittances for August is due out today. The BoP overall is slated to be released on Oct. 19,” Limlingan said.