PSE Index Up in Smallest Trade of the Year

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) index edged higher Friday, closing at 6,065.64, up by 23.73 points or 0.39 percent, in what can be considered the smallest trading day of the year.

The Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) Index, December 26, 2025

Total value turnover amounted to just P2.76 billion, almost half the average daily volume, as investors fled to the provinces and resort destinations ahead of the year-end long weekend.

With only one trading day left next week, investors largely stayed on the sidelines, with many blue-chip stocks trading less than P1 million worth.

Still, the mining and oil sub-index sparkled, buoyed by gold’s record run to $4,441.44 per ounce as geopolitical tensions mounted — the latest being a U.S. strike against an ISIS-linked state in Nigeria.

Gold, considered a safe-haven asset, typically rises amid geopolitical uncertainty, although U.S. inflation data was also among the factors fueling the latest gold rally.

The mining and oil sector surged 3.18 percent, led by Apex Mining, which jumped 5.03 percent to P12.94 and barged into the list of top 10 active stocks.

Nickel Asia climbed 6.85 percent to P3.90, while OceanaGold was unchanged at P31.90, despite hitting an intraday high of P33.30.

Industrial and holding firms posted losses of 0.20 percent and 0.08 percent, respectively. Meralco slipped 0.86 percent to P575, while Universal Robina declined 1.48 percent to P66.50.

Market bellwether SM Investments was unchanged at P700 for the fourth straight trading day, while Ayala Corp. fell 1.09 percent to P455.

Financials, services, and property stocks posted gains of 0.54 percent, 0.55 percent, and 1.38 percent, respectively. BDO Unibank rose 1.50 percent to P135, while Bank of the Philippine Islands dipped 0.17 percent to P119.60.

ICTSI advanced 0.88 percent to P570, while Bloomberry gained 0.40 percent to P2.54.

Gaming stock DigiPlus slid 4.53 percent to P15.60, while Globe Telecom eased 0.31 percent to P1,585.

There were 107 gainers, 80 losers, and 60 unchanged issues, including ACEN Corp., PLDT, Union Bank, Megawide, Manila Water, and Jollibee Foods.

Foreign trades totaled P2.50 billion, with net foreign selling of P34.5 million, as foreign buying reached P1.236 billion against selling of P1.270 billion.

Among the gainers were SM Prime, Ayala Land, PNB, Maynilad, Topline, SPNEC, Emperador, D&L Industries, Integrated Micro-Electronics, Ginebra San Miguel, Cosco Capital, Filinvest Land, ABS-CBN, Monde Nissin, and VistaREIT.

Losers included Aboitiz Power, Del Monte Pacific, Puregold, China Bank, East West Banking Corp., Alternergy, First Gen, Basic Energy, Petron, MREIT, Synergy Grid, San Miguel Corp., and GT Capital.