Stocks end slightly higher in thin trade

Local stocks rose yesterday, although trading volume was relatively thin after North Korea announced its largest ever nuclear test.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) was up 0.96 percent, or 76.63 points, to 8,035.20 at yesterday’s close. The broader All-Shares index was also higher by 0.82 percent to 4,762.

Still, trading volume stood at only 887.3 million shares valued at P6.4 billion. A total of 115 firms gained while 83 closed in the red. Another 50 companies ended unchanged.

Subsectors were all higher, data from the PSE showed. These were led by mining and oil, up 1.82 percent, followed by property firms, up 1.42 percent.

Ayala Land Inc. was the most actively traded, gaining 1.9 percent to P42.80 a share.

The builder was followed by BDO Unibank Inc., up 1.10 percent to P128.50; Universal Robina Corp., up 2.67 percent to P150; SM Prime Holdings Inc.; up 1.5 percent to P33.90, and SM Investments Corp., up 1.67 percent to P824 a share.

Other actively traded companies were Megaworld Corp., up 0.4 percent to P4.96; Ayala Corp., up 0.65 percent to P926; Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., up 0.91 percent to P88.40; Nickel Asia Corp., up 5.96 percent to P7.65, and Wilcon Depot Inc., up 4.28 percent to P9.25 a share.