Manila: The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) extended its rally on Thursday, while the peso weakened against the US dollar following the previous day's gain. The PSEi rose by 0.08 percent to reach 6,625.46, and the broader All Shares index climbed 0.37 percent to 3,653.71.

According to Philippines News Agency, most of the sectoral indices ended the trading session with gains. The Property sector led with an increase of 1.82 percent, followed by Mining and Oil at 1.75 percent, Holding Firms at 0.46 percent, and Industrial at 0.24 percent. In contrast, the Services sector fell by 0.81 percent, and Financials slipped slightly by 0.02 percent.

The trading volume reached 848.7 million shares, valued at PHP8.05 billion. Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones, with 125 gainers compared to 70 losers, while 74 issues remained unchanged.

Meanwhile, the peso closed weaker at 57.60 to the dollar, down from 57.51 on Wednesday. It opened the day at 57.55, fluctuated between 57.64 and 57.47, and averaged 57.55 throughout the session. The dollar volume amounted to USD1.41 billion, a decrease from the previous USD1.77 billion.

Michael Ricafort, chief economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation, noted that the peso's decline partly followed reports that President Donald Trump is expected to sign a directive raising US global tariffs to 15 percent. Despite the depreciation, Ricafort pointed out that the peso's current value remains one of its strongest in over five months, specifically since September 24, 2025, when it settled at 57.46.