PH shares take step back after rate watch fever

MANILA  —Philippine stocks took a breather on Friday amid minor profit-taking after the Bangko Sental ng Pilipinas kept interest rates steady during its meeting the previous day.

By the closing bell, the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) slumped 0.13 percent, or 8.92 points, to 6,873.23 while the broader All Shares index was down 0.11 percent, or 3.88 points, to 3,597.67. On Thursday, the Monetary Board kept the key rate untouched at 6.5 percent in a decision that was widely expected by analysts.

Market activity also cooled down on Friday as 1.48 million shares valued at P4.58 billion changed hands while net foreign buying reached nearly P259 million, data from the stock exchange showed.

READ:  BSP keeps policy rate unchanged, as expected

PSE subsectors were mixed as services, industrial and financials advanced while holding firms, property and mining and oil slumped.

International Container Terminal Services Inc. was the top traded stock as it added 2.56 percent to P280 per share.

It was followed by Bank of the Philippine Islands, up 0.44 percent to P115; BDO Unibank Inc., flat at P154.30; GT Capital Holdings Inc., down 3.47 percent to P698; and Monde Nissin Corp., up 2.08 percent to P10.82 per share.

Jollibee Foods Corp. was up 0.78 percent to P259; Ayala Corp., up 0.14 percent to P709; Manila Water Co. Inc., down 0.84 percent to P19; Ayala Land Inc., down 1.30 percent to P34.25; and Universal Robina Corp., down 0.25 percent to P118 per share.

Gainers and losers were nearly matched, 85 to 83, while 65 stocks remained unchanged, data from the stock exchange also showed.