Philippine shares start 2025 with an upward trend

Philippine shares experienced an upward trend on the first trading day of 2025, with the PSEi closing higher at 6,603.81 points, an increase of 0.82%.

This positive market performance was driven by a strong Philippine manufacturing index for December, which stood at 54.3, boosting investor confidence.

The manufacturing data indicated robust factory activity, showing the quickest rate of expansion since November 2017, with significant growth in output and new orders.

Investors engaged in bargain hunting, positioning for the year ahead while awaiting the return of foreign funds from holiday breaks.

Banks led the advance across the broader market, contributing to the overall gain.

Volume remained relatively low, with 2.77 billion shares traded worth P3.78 billion.