The stock market declined Monday as investors continued to cash in from last week’s gains amid the Russia-Ukraine tensions.
The Philippine Stock Exchange Index slipped 46.54 points, or 0.6 percent, to 7,372.25 on a value turnover of P9.1 billion. Losers beat gainers, 129 to 72, with 46 issues unchanged.
Solar Philippines Nueva Ecija Corp., which is building the biggest solar farm in Southeast Asia, slumped 9.3 percent to P1.86, while SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group sank 6.6 percent to P860.
Noodles maker Monde Nissin Corp. fell 3.4 percent to P15.52, but DITO CME Holdings Corp., the third major mobile phone players, jumped 14 percent to P6.61.
The rest of Asian equities were mixed Monday while oil prices eased after presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin agreed in principle to hold a summit to try to find a way out of the Ukraine crisis.
Warnings from US officials that Russia could invade its neighbor imminently have sent markets spiraling in the past week and sent crude surging towards $100 a barrel as traders fret over already tight supplies.
The crisis has compounded worries about inflation, which is sitting at a 40-year high and putting pressure on the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates with investors speculating over how fast and hard it will move.
Monday’s session started on a negative note, with markets suffering hefty falls but the losses were reduced after the US and Russian leaders said they would hold talks on Ukraine, as long as Putin does not invade.
The United States is “committed to pursuing diplomacy until the moment an invasion begins,” Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. “President Biden accepted in principle a meeting with President Putin… if an invasion hasn’t happened.”
“We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war. And currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon.”
The news raised hopes for a peaceful conclusion to the standoff, though traders remain on edge.
Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei and Bangkok were in the red, though Sydney, Mumbai, Singapore, Wellington and Jakarta edged up slightly. Shanghai was flat.
Gold, a safe-haven asset in times of turmoil, slipped.
Warren Patterson, of ING Groep NV, said: “A proposed summit does offer some relief to the market, as it suggests that both sides are still possibly open to dialogue.
“Asset prices, particularly commodities, will continue to be heavily influenced by Russia-Ukraine noise.”
Oil eased on easing fears about the possibility of supplies being hit by any conflict in eastern Europe, though surging demand as the global economy reopens continues to put upward pressure on the commodity.
Observers are warning $100 will soon be breached and could hold above that level for an extended period, even if talks on Iran’s nuclear program succeed and lead to the resumption of Tehran’s crude exports.
The sharp rise in crude is a key driver of inflation across the planet, adding to supply chain snarls and bottlenecks. With AFP