Share prices fell Thursday amid risk aversion.
The peso closed up.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index was down 36.76 points to 6,827.06, a 0.54 percent drop.
The broader All Shares index was down 9.06 points or 0.25 percent to 3,580.32.
Losers edged gainers 101 to 77 with 53 stocks unchanged. Trading turnover reached P4.37 billion.
The peso closed at 56.355 to the dollar, up from 56.445 on Wednesday.
The currency opened at 56.35, an intraday high, and hit a low of 56.5. Trading turnover reached $1.26 billion.
Regional currencies were little changed as optimism rise about potential US interest rate cuts, even as the timing of the move remained uncertain, Reuters reported.
Most Asian currencies were subdued, though they pared some losses from the previous session after the greenback eased.
A flurry of central bank decisions in the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand are due next week.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is in the spotlight after it postponed its monetary policy meeting to Monday to wait for the release of inflation data scheduled for Friday.
A Reuters poll suggests the BSP will keep its key policy rate on hold for a fourth meeting and at least until the third quarter, later than when the Fed is expected to start reducing its rates.
Mikhail Philippe Plopenio, analyst at Philstocks Financial Inc., said local worries took over sentiment as catalysts “are yet to be seen.”
“Investors digested the national government’s outstanding debt which rose 2.63 percent month on month to a record high of P15.18 trillion. Additionally, inflation concerns were heightened as the Department of Agriculture expects that rice prices will remain elevated until the middle of the year,” Plopenio said.
Most actively traded SM Investments Corp. was down P0.50 to P980. Jollibee Foods Corp. was down P9.40 to P232.60. International Container Terminal Services Inc. was down P8.20 to P321. Bank of the Philippine Islands was up P0.80 to P115.80. Ayala Corp. was down P4 to P635. Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. was up P0.40 to P68.15. DigiPlus Interactive Corp. was up P1.04 to P13.08. Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. was down P1.60 to P44.40. Semirara Mining and Power Corp. was up P0.20 to P33.60. Puregold Price Club Inc. was steady at P25.
