The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rallied on bargain hunting following Monday’s steep selloff, with a stronger peso and improved manufacturing data buoying investor sentiment.
The main index rose 38.98 points, or 0.67 percent, to close at 5,867.04 on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Sectoral indices, however, were evenly split.
Volume was light, with 539 million shares valued at ₱6.37 billion changing hands. Advancers outnumbered decliners 108 to 83, while 57 stocks were unchanged.
Regina Capital Development Corp. Managing Director Luis Limlingan said the Philippine market ended higher after experiencing heavy selling pressure the day before.
“Today's [Tuesday] increase appears to be more of a technical rebound,” Limlingan noted, “as the market continues to await the release of inflation and GDP [gross domestic product] figures, along with corporate earnings reports, to confirm its next direction.”
Philstocks Financial Research Manager Japhet Tantiangco attributed the move to a “technical bounce driven by bargain hunting.”
He added that investors also considered the peso’s slight appreciation against the United States (US) dollar and the improvement in the country’s manufacturing sector, evidenced by the S&P Global Philippines Manufacturing PMI score increasing to 50.1 from 49.9.