PSE Index Edges Higher as Mining, Services and Conglomerates Gain

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index posted a small gain of 12.92 points, or 0.21%, on Monday, anchored by gains in the mining and oil, services, and holding firms sub-indices.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Index, August 24, 2026

Mining and oil rose 3.19%, providing the backdrop for the index's modest gain amid the continuing Iran crisis.

Bargain hunting also pushed up the prices of market bellwether SM Investments Corp. and market favorite International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI), helping lift the services sub-index by 0.51% and holding firms by 0.18%.

SM Investments rose 0.17% to ₱580, while ICTSI gained 0.99% to ₱970.

The Monday gains, however, face a possible backlash from continuing concerns over the peso's value against the US dollar, which has hit the ₱62-to-$1 level, as well as expectations of an inflation uptick as crude oil prices rise further.

Stock market turnover remained subdued, while continued net foreign selling also hampered the index's advance.

The market faces the double whammy of higher inflation and a broader economic slowdown.

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), a defensive stock, has been hammered by concerns over a possible policy change involving system losses. The stock fell another 0.62% on Monday to ₱479.

Total trading value amounted to just ₱4.96 billion, while foreign trades reached ₱5.03 billion.

There was net foreign selling of ₱82 million, with foreign buying at ₱2.477 billion and foreign selling at ₱2.56 billion. Market breadth was negative, with 198 losers against 83 gainers, while 65 shares were unchanged.