Peso weakness, political uncertainty pull PSEi down to 6,000
The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dropped to the 6,000 level on Thursday, Sept. 25, weighed down by the continued weakness of the peso and investor caution amid ongoing Senate hearings on corruption allegations.
The main index lost 66.44 points, or 1.09 percent, to close at 6,042.28. The mining sector led the broad decline.
Trading volume improved, with 2.61 billion shares valued at ₱6.97 billion changing hands. Decliners outnumbered gainers 134 to 64, while 50 stocks remained unchanged.
“The market continued to decline today, with selling pressure dominating and no green candles seen throughout the week,” said Luis Limlingan, managing director at Regina Capital Development Corp.
He added that the peso's depreciation, which hit the P58 mark against the dollar, is “weighing on investor sentiment toward Philippine equities.”
Philstocks Financial research manager Japhet Tantiangco noted that the local market's losses were extended as “the Philippines' corruption issues continued to dampen sentiment.”
He pointed to “another round of Senate hearing wherein more names allegedly involved in the flood control corruption cases were dropped.”
Tantiangco also cited “the depreciation of the Peso against the US Dollar to the 58.00 level and the negative cues from Wall Street” as additional factors.
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said the PSEi’s decline marked its fourth straight trading day of losses, coming as the US dollar “again went up against the peso.”
He also cited “recent political noises on corruption allegations that could also expand to other infrastructure projects... thereby could slow down infrastructure spending, government spending, and overall local economic growth.”