PSEi dips after Recto warns of slower economic growth rate
The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) declined on Tuesday, Nov. 18, as cautious investors immediately took profit from Monday’s price spike after the former chief economic manager of the Marcos Jr. administration projected that this year’s economic growth pace will fall well below the government’s target.
The main index shed 22.46 points, or 0.39 percent, to close at 5,756.66. Sectoral indices were evenly divided, with property jumping, while services led the drop.
Volume was stable at 1.15 billion shares worth ₱6.67 billion. Losers outnumbered gainers—94 to 74, with 60 unchanged.
Philstocks Financial Inc. research manager Japhet Tantiangco said, “The local market’s sideways movement ended in the negative territory as it gave in to selling pressures. Investors digested then-Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary and now Executive Secretary Ralph Recto’s projection, wherein he sees the local economy growing 4.7 to 4.8 percent this year.”
He added that, “The negative cues from Wall Street also contributed to Tuesday’s decline. The lingering corruption issues amid the latest developments also weighed on sentiment.”
“The Philippine market ended lower after some profit-taking took over following yesterday’s sharp increase,” said Regina Capital Development Corp. managing director Luis Limlingan.
He noted that, “Investors turned cautious as they locked in gains from the previous session’s strong run. Sentiment also eased after Secretary Recto said GDP [gross domestic product] growth is expected to come in below five percent this year.”
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said the PSEi corrected slightly lower due to the decline in United States (US) and global stock markets to one-month lows, ahead of the release of the delayed US jobs data and more cautious signals from some US Federal Reserve (Fed) officials recently that reduced the odds of another 0.25-percent rate cut on Dec. 10.