25.02.202603:59:58UTC+00Phlippine Stocks Hit Over 1-Year High

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) advanced 0.8% to 6,600 on Wednesday, securing its fourth consecutive gain and reaching its highest level since January 2025. The rally was largely driven by robust risk appetite amid the ongoing corporate earnings season.

Blue-chip issues underpinned the move higher, with International Container Terminal Services up 3.3%, Manila Electric Co. rising 1.9%, Bank of the Philippine Islands gaining 1.5%, and SM Prime Holdings climbing 2.1%. The PSEi also benefited from a rotation out of US assets as investors weighed mounting trade-policy uncertainty.

While President Trump announced a planned increase in global tariffs to 10%–15%, official documentation indicates that rates remain at 10%. The White House is working on implementing the hike, though no definitive timeline has been set.

In the foreign-exchange market, the Philippine peso firmed to around 57.6 per US dollar, hovering near its strongest level since September 2025. The currency was supported by broad dollar weakness amid uncertainty surrounding US tariff and fiscal policy, as well as investor caution ahead of President Trump’s State of the Union address.