PSE Index Edges Higher on Late Rally

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index edged higher after a late rally toward the close, ending Tuesday's trading at 6,264.70 points, up 2.90 points, or 0.05%.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Index, August 18, 2026

Flashing red during the final 15 minutes of trading, the index managed to post a slight gain as several blue-chip stocks recovered. Ayala Land, for instance, fell to an intraday low of ₱15.02 before surging to ₱15.62 at the close, its intraday high, for a 2.90% gain.

Globe Telecom, PLDT and Bloomberg rose, helping offset a 0.05% decline in ICTSI, which closed at ₱962.50, and nudging the services sub-index up 0.03%.

Aside from services, the other gainers were industrials, which rose 0.78%; mining and oil, up 1.58%; and property, which advanced 0.43%.

Among the notable gainers were Meralco, up 0.50% to ₱502.50; First Gen, which jumped 10.66% to ₱30.10; Apex Mining, up 1.48% to ₱15; and Atlas Mining, which climbed 11.25% to ₱17.80.

Market bellwether SM Investments, meanwhile, closed ₱1 higher than its intraday low at ₱580, but still fell 1.86% for the session.

Foreign investors were relatively subdued amid uncertainty over the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest-rate outlook and a lack of clear direction in the local market. Total foreign trades amounted to ₱4.86 billion, while total market turnover reached ₱5.70 billion.

There was net foreign selling of ₱403 million, with foreign investors buying ₱2.228 billion worth of shares and selling ₱2.632 billion.

Market breadth was neutral, with 100 gainers, 102 losers and 53 unchanged stocks.