PSEi falls on Singson resignation, weaker peso, near-record national debt
The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) fell on Wednesday, Dec. 3, due to the ballooning national debt, weaker peso, and the sudden resignation of Rogelio Singson from the body investigating anomalous flood-control projects.
The main index dropped 88.56 points, or 1.48 percent, to close at 5,905.84. The services sector led the retreat, while miners managed to buck the trend.
Volume improved to 899 million shares worth ₱6.87 billion. Losers beat gainers—105 to 86, with 46 unchanged.
“The local bourse closed lower as profit-taking and selling pressure emerged in today’s session,” said Regina Capital Development Corp. managing director Luis Limlingan.
He added that, “Market sentiment was subdued due to the depreciation of the Philippine peso against the United States (US) dollar. Overall trading remained cautious as investors awaited clearer market signals.”
Philstocks Financial Inc. research manager Japhet Tantiangco said, “The local market dropped with concerns on our country’s fiscal position and growth outlook fueling negative sentiment. Investors digested the latest national government (NG) outstanding debt data, which posted an increase, partly because of the peso’s depreciation.”
He noted that, “The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) downward revision of its Philippine economic growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026 to 4.7 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, also weighed on the local bourse.”
Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said the PSEi declined after the latest NG outstanding debt data near record highs at ₱17.562 trillion as of October 2025.
Sentiment was also weighed down by the resignation by Singson, a former public works secretary, from the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).