Last-minute buying boosts stock index

December 12, 2018

Last-minute buying pulled the Philippine Stock Exchange index to finish slightly higher on  Wednesday.

The peso hit a high of P52.635 against the US dollar before ending the day at P52.715, up from Tuesday's P52.77. Volume at the foreign exchange portal of the Bankers Association of the Philippines hit $765.15 million from $906.85 million.

The index closed at 7,428.24 points, up 37.16 points. In the broader market, there were 98 gainers, 85 decliners and 44 shares unchanged.

Volume at the PSE reached 990.03 million shares worth P11.9 billion from Tuesday's 551.63 million valued at P4.72 billion.

Most traded shares were led by SM Prime, up 0.56 percent to P35.70; ICTSI, up 0.69 percent to P95.05, Ayala Land, down 0.48 percent to P41.80 and SM Investment Corp., up 2.66 percent to P945. DMS