Stocks gain as in-line US inflation calms Fed rate hike fears
Local stocks advanced to end the week higher as in-line United States (US) inflation data eased fears of aggressive monetary tightening by the Federal Reserve, prompting investors to seek bargain shares in local equities.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) added 9.05 points, or 0.14 percent, to close at 6,297.30 on Friday, Aug. 14.
Gains were driven primarily by the services sector, which offset losses across four other sub-indices led by mining stocks. Despite a net positive market breadth, overall trading volume remained thin as market participants exercised caution while evaluating domestic corporate earnings.
Total trading value reached ₱5.19 billion across 1.01 billion shares traded. Advancers outpaced decliners 113 to 92, while 52 issues closed unchanged.
The local market took its cue from an overnight rally on Wall Street after softer-than-feared US consumer price data gave market participants confidence that central bankers may slow their pace of interest rate hikes. The positive sentiment abroad helped lift domestic equities out of negative territory following the previous session's drop.
Local equities tracked overnight strength on Wall Street following favorable US inflation metrics, according to Japhet Tantiangco, research manager at Philstocks Financial Inc.
The aligned price figures offer hope that the Federal Reserve will avoid adopting an overly hawkish stance in upcoming policy meetings, providing room for regional equity markets to recover.
Alongside macroeconomic developments in the US, domestic drivers provided additional support to equity valuations. Market sentiment was buoyed by positive reception to corporate financial disclosures released throughout the week.
Investor appreciation of second-quarter corporate results for select benchmark heavyweights offered a solid foundation for Friday's session, Tantiangco added.
Value hunters also stepped into the market following Thursday's decline, targeting select shares that had dropped to attractive valuation levels.
Luis Limlingan, managing director at Regina Capital Development Corp., noted that bargain hunting provided critical support to key index names, helping offset weakness in the mining and resource sectors.
However, analysts emphasized that overall investor engagement remains selective.