PSEi bounces back above 7,000

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) bounced back above the 7,000 level on Friday as Wall Street staged a partial recovery overnight, lifting investor sentiments.

The PSEi closed the session yesterday at 7,064.33, up 1.4 percent or 97.49 points. The broader All-Shares index was also up 1.2 percent to 4,332.59.

Data from the PSE showed that most subsectors ended in positive territory, with holding firms and property leading the way with gains of 2.14 percent and 2.07 percent, respectively. Mining and oil was the only loser, falling by 0.16 percent.

A total of 892.96 million shares valued at P4.97 billion changed hands yesterday. There were 80 gainers versus 99 decliners while 56 companies closed unchanged.

Universal Robina Corp., which closed unchanged at P130 a share, was the most actively traded on Friday.

It was followed by ISM Communications Corp., up 7.48 percent to P3.45; Ayala Land Inc., up 1.97 percent to P38.75; IRC Properties Inc., up 7.14 percent to P2.85, and International Container Terminal Services, down 0.22 percent to P90 a share.

Other actively traded stocks were San Miguel Food and Beverage, up 3.01 percent to P85.50; Jollibee Foods Corp., up 3.05 percent to P270; SM Prime Holdings, up 2.37 percent to P34.50; SM Investments Corp., up 4.07 percent to P895, and Megawide Construction Corp., up 1.03 percent to P17.58 a share.

Gainers were led by Now Corp., which was up 10.09 percent to P4.69; Easycall, up 9.8 percent to P10.76, and Energy Development Corp., up 7.91 percent to P7.50 a share.

Losers were led by Liberty Flour Mills, down 16.67 percent to P50; Acesite (Phils.) Hotel, down 10.27 percent to P1.31, and Mabuhay Holdings, down 7.36 percent to P1.51 a share.