Market closes slightly up

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) closed with marginal gains after a volatile session.

By the closing bell on Tuesday, the PSEi was up 0.17 percent, or 9.86 points, to 5,953.44 while the broader all-shares index was up 0.23 percent, or 8.03 points, to 3,548.60.

With few local drivers, investors took their cue from movements abroad as equity indices around the region were mostly up on news that trade talks between the United States and China were making progress.

Subsectors in the PSE were mixed with services, industrial and mining and oil ending positive while financials, property and holding firms sank.

Data from the PSE showed 1.2 billion shares valued at P4.56 billion changing hands.There were 109 decliners versus 84 gainers while 51 companies closed unchanged.

SM Investments Corp., which was the most actively traded on Tuesday, slid lower by 0.23 percent to P881 per share.

It was followed by Dito CME Holdings Corp., up 4.69 percent to P3.35; SM Prime Holdings Inc., up 0.17 percent to P30.05; Ayala Land Inc., down 0.65 percent to P30.40; and PLDT Inc., up 3.43 percent to P1,448 per share. —Miguel R. Camus INQ