PSE Index Declines Amid Political Uncertainty

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index declined on Thursday, closing at 5,911.93 points, down 41.24 points or 0.69%, as political uncertainty weighed on investor sentiment.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Index, June 4, 2026

Market analysts attributed the decline to tensions in the Senate, where competing leadership groups and parallel proceedings raised concerns over political stability and their potential impact on the economy.

Market heavyweight ICTSI fell 2.91% to close at P849.50 after volatility linked to developments surrounding a Senate hearing involving corruption-related issues.

The global port operator recorded total trades amounting to P1.97 billion. Its shares climbed to an intraday high of P881.50 before sliding to a low of P841 during the session.

The services sector, which helped support the market in the previous trading day, declined 2.23% as telecommunications stocks PLDT and DITO, along with gaming firm DigiPlus, posted losses.

Other sectors that retreated included mining and oil, property, industrials, and holding firms. Financials bucked the broader decline, gaining 1.29% amid bargain hunting.

Among banking stocks, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), BDO Unibank, and Metrobank registered gains.

Meanwhile, market bellwether SM Investments ended unchanged at P584 after touching an intraday high of P594.

The benchmark index had been nearing the psychological 6,000-point level and was fewer than six points away before political developments dampened investor optimism.

Foreign investors were net sellers by P298 million, with foreign buying amounting to P3.94 billion and foreign selling reaching P4.24 billion. Total value turnover stood at P6.99 billion.

Market breadth remained negative, with 105 decliners against 68 gainers, while 70 stocks closed unchanged.