Stocks end lower

Local stocks fell Wednesday as most of the region slumped, partly as investors anticipate news coming from the US Federal Market Open Committee meeting.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) lost 0.77 percent, or 61.1 points, to 7,825.47 Wednesday. The broader all-shares index was also down 0.61 percent, or 27.75 points, to 4,496.22.

All subsectors ended in the red, with mining and oil leading losers with a 1.38-percent decline, followed by holding firms, down 1.1 percent.

Data from the PSE showed that a total of 1.42 billion shares changed hands for P9.66 billion. A total of 78 companies gained against 105 losers while another 49 companies closed unchanged.

Foreign investors also continued unloading, with net foreign selling hitting P724.27 million.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. led the list of most actively traded stocks at the company lost 1.55 percent to P19.10 a share.

This was followed by Metrobank, down 1.85 percent to P93; BDO Unibank Inc., down 1.79 percent to P110; SM Investments Corp., down 1.78 percent to P908, and Universal Robina Corp., which gained 0.55 percent to P217.60 a share. Miguel R. Camus