PHL stocks extend slump on global growth worries

Philippine Stock Exchange

MANILA – Local share prices extended their slump on Tuesday, dragged by concerns about global growth.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) declined 32.51 points to 7,452.81 from previous day’s 7,485.32.

”The breach to a fresh record definitely continues to stir a bullish ingredient to the mix but the developments outside — coupled with the historically high valuations — should keep everyone on their toes,” said Jun Calaycay, analyst at Accord Capital Equities Corp.

Calaycay said the investors’ decision-making was mainly influenced by some global developments, including a stronger United States economy raising the prospects of an interest rate hike, a struggling Japanese economy and a Chinese economy trying to achieve a soft landing.

He said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also pared its global growth forecast on “strong and complex cross currents”.

All counters were in negative territory, led by mining and oil that plunged 2.91 percent.

The sub-indices of other counters lost slightly.

Value turnover reached Php 8.29 billion with 2.58 billion shares traded.

Decliners outpaced advancers, 114 to 71, while 39 issues unchanged.

The day’s top losers were led by MJC Investments Corp., Benguet Corp., Nickel Asia Corp., Forum Pacific Inc. and Lorenzo Shipping Corp.