FX.co ★ Philippine Stocks Slip on Weak GDP Growth

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index fell by 1.1% to 6,285 on Thursday, ending a two-day winning streak, as market sentiment was dampened by weaker-than-expected economic growth figures. The country's economy grew by 3% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, falling short of the anticipated 3.8% growth and decelerating from the 3.9% growth in the previous quarter. This represented the slowest growth since a contraction in the first quarter of 2021, influenced by an infrastructure corruption scandal, a series of devastating typhoons, and increasing trade pressures. Despite these challenges, the government remains cautiously optimistic about a recovery in the latter half of the year, supported by increased spending, decreasing inflation, and rate cuts. Key stocks that led the decline included International Container Terminal Services with a 2.3% drop, SM Investment Corporation which fell by 1.1%, and BDO Unibank which decreased by 1.8%. Additionally, the Philippine peso declined to approximately 58.83 against the dollar, retreating from its one-month high in the prior session.