PSE IN MUTED RISE ANEW

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index was up today in another muted rise as second liners occupied center stage in a day that had foreign investors as net buyers in another hefty trade to close 14.91 points higher or 0.21 percent to 7,304.79 points.

Net foreign buying amounted to P209 million, with foreign selling of P3.1848 billion and foreign buying of P3.393 billion, with value turnover clocked at P11.52 billion with 129 gainers, 94 losers and 46 unchanged, that included market bellwether SM Investments, which was unchanged at P1,050 with trades of P355 million, with P38 million in net foreign buys.

Second liners led the most active stocks in a one-two finish with Premiere Horizon up by 44 centavos to P2 on trades of P1.09 billion, while Apollo Global posted a gain of P0.059 to close at P0.26 with value turnover of P672 million.

Trading was a bit subdued with gyrations at the opening and middle stage as the PSE index opened 10 points above its Friday level and went down to a 50 points lower, until it rose gingerly to post a slight gain.

Dito was the third top gainer as it dropped by 44 centavos to close at P12.68 on trades of P504 million, while Ayala Energy also lost 60 centavos to P7.22 with trades of P504 million.

The financials, industrials and holding firms, as well as the services sub sector posted gains, while the mining and oil subsector and property were down.

Banks closed mixed, with BDO Unibank up by P1.90 to P110.90 as foreign investors were net buyers at P174 million, while Bank of PI lost P2 to close at P85.

Metrobank was up by 50 centavos to P50.

Market darling MerryMart was up by 82 centavos to P7.71, while Jollibee Foods went up by P6.60 to P199.10, though it at one point climbed up beyond P200. PLDT and Globe Telecom were up respectively by P36 to P1,460 and P20 to P2,040.

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