Stocks, peso up in year’s first trading session

January 2, 2019

Philippine stocks rose on Wednesday, the first trading day of the year.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index closed 23.18 points higher to 7, 489.20. In the broader market, there were 96 gainers, 85 decliners and 44 shares unchanged,

Volume reached 717.6 million shares worth P3.36 billion from 1,3 billion shares valued P5.7 billion on December 28, 2018.

Most active shares were led by SM Prime, up 3.35 percent to P37; Ayala Corp., up 0.176 percent to P906 and Ayala Land, up 1.72 percent to P41.30.

The peso closed at P52.515 against the US dollar from P52.58 on December 28. Volume at the foreign exchange portal of the Bankers Association of the Philippines amounted to $580.05 million from $664.4 million. DMS