Philippine shares plunged more than 2 percent Friday amid heavy selling following a disappointing gross domestic product report.
The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index shed 132.42 points, or 2.08 percent, to close at 6,223.36, while the broader all-shares index dropped 49.01 points, or 1.36 percent, to end the week at 3,548.03.
Analysts said lower-than-expected GDP figures dragged the index back to the 6,200 level, wiping out gains from previous trading sessions.
“Investor sentiment weakened as the softer growth data raised concerns over the country’s near-term economic outlook,” said Luis Limlingam, head of sales at Regina Capital Development Corp.
AB Capital Securities said slower GDP growth and a weaker peso also triggered broad risk-off selling. The peso slid to 58.945 against the US dollar Thursday from 58.74 Wednesday.
The Philippine Statistics Authority said Thursday that GDP expanded 3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2025 from a year earlier, bringing full-year growth to 4.4 percent. The fourth-quarter expansion was the weakest in five years.
Value turnover was strong at P7.05 billion. However, foreign investors were net sellers, with outflows at P406.24 million.
Among sectors, only the mining and oil index ended higher, rising 1.2 percent as gold prices continued to climb. Alliance Global Group Inc. was the day’s top index gainer, rising 1.53 percent to P7.29, while Century Pacific Food Inc. was the biggest decliner, falling 5 percent to P38.
