The Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) slipped 0.28 percent following a confluence of weak economic reports and a cut to the country's growth forecast.
The main index shed 16.70 points to close at 5,959.94 on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Sectoral indices were evenly mixed for the session.
A total of 658 million shares valued at ₱6.75 billion were traded. Decliners outpaced advancers, with 100 losers against 93 gainers, while 63 issues remained unchanged.
“The local market pulled back as investors dealt with: the World Bank and ADB’s [Asian Development Bank] downgrade of their Philippine economic growth projections; the decline in September foreign investments; the rise in October unemployment; and the weakness of the Peso,” said Japhet Tantiangco, Research Manager at Philstocks Financial.
The market weakness was partially buffered by monetary policy developments, according to Michael Ricafort, Chief Economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.
Ricafort cited the widely expected 0.25 percent Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) rate cut on Dec. 11, and expectations of another 0.25 percent US Federal Reserve rate cut on Dec. 10, as positive offsets.