Bargain Hunting Lifts PSE Index by 0.74 Percent

Bargain hunting lifted the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index into positive territory at the start of the trading week on Monday, with the benchmark closing at 5,743.18 points, up 42.19 points, or 0.74 percent.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Index, October 12, 2026

The technical rebound followed a two-week decline amid concerns over September inflation of 7.2 percent, weakness in the Philippine peso, slower gross domestic product (GDP) growth and higher interest rates.

The holding firms and services indices posted significant gains, offsetting declines in financials, which fell 1.07 percent; industrials, down 0.15 percent; mining and oil, lower by 0.31 percent; and property, which slipped 0.33 percent.

Market bellwether SM Investments Corp. led the holding firms sector, climbing 4.47 percent to ₱538. International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), the most actively traded stock with ₱1.27 billion in turnover, rose 2.91 percent to ₱884.

Ayala Corp. and Aboitiz Equity Ventures also contributed to the sector's gains.

The market was volatile during the session, with the PSEi reaching an intraday high of 5,769.29 points before profit-taking weighed on selected stocks.

Apex Mining fell 5.12 percent to ₱16.68, DigiPlus Interactive Corp. dropped 9.38 percent to ₱7.44, and Globe Telecom declined 0.85 percent to ₱1,515.

The holding firms index gained 1.70 percent, while the services index rose 1.98 percent. Other gainers included Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), SM Prime Holdings, Axelum Resources Corp. and Megawide Construction Corp.

Total market turnover reached approximately ₱6.17 billion.

Foreign transactions were reported at ₱7.18 billion, with net foreign selling of ₱332 million, comprising ₱3.425 billion in foreign buying and ₱3.758 billion in selling. Market breadth was positive, with 103 stocks advancing, 87 declining and 55 unchanged.