Mixed trading expected on lack of catalysts

THE LOCAL market is expected to continue trading within its current range as some investors might book profits due to lack of catalysts.

Analysts, however, said select issues might trim the market’s losses or help it close higher.

“For [this] week, the market is expected to take a breather on lack of catalysts as the central bank has already hinted there will be no rate movement when they meet on [Thursday],” DBP-Daiwa Securities, Inc. said.

The brokerage said this, along with a shortened trading week, would make investors wary of entering the market or allowing their investments to stay long in equities.

There will be no trading on Friday, which is a holiday to commemorate the death anniversary of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr.

Selling, DBP-Daiwa Securities noted, had become evident since last week, with foreign investors posting a net selling of P1.15 billion, reversing the P707 billion in net buying the previous week.

“[They] have started taking advantage of the market’s recent rallies [as an opportunity to book their gains],” it said.

DBP-Daiwa Securities also pointed out that as far as seasonal factors are concerned, August has never been on the side of investors since historical data during the past 21 years showed the market declining during this “ghost” month.

With activity expected to slow down this week, Prince Anthony A. Yeung of AB Capital Securities, Inc. said buying would likely be focused on “select stocks with specific plays,” especially now that it remains to be seen whether the US market’s main indices could post new highs.

The US market closed lower on Friday after reports showed that consumer confidence slipped during the early part of the month. The Dow Jones industrial average shed 0.82% or 76.79 points to 9,321.40.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 index dipped by 0.85% or 8.64 points to 1,004.09, while the Nasdaq composite index shed 1.19% or 23.83 points to 1,985.52.

Despite some investors booking their gains last week, the Philippine Stock Exchange index managed to close 2.41% higher week-on-week to settle at 2,850.01.

For this week, however, Mr. Yeung said: “On the local front, there also would not be much catalyst for the local market to move higher [especially] since the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will most probably leave interest rates unchanged.”

The Monetary Board of the central bank is meeting this Thursday to revisit key rates.

The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and Philex Mining Corp., which pushed up the index, might remain the focus of investors, however.

Meralco and Philex Mining are being rumored to be the subject of a bidding war by two of the Philippines’ most influential businessmen: San Miguel Corp. President Ramon S. Ang and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan.

“It seems that the market [would find it hard to go beyond] the 2,900 level [although] it would [be able to] find some support at 2,800. This will most probably be the narrow range that the market would move within this week,” Mr. Yeung said.

Nonetheless, DBP-Daiwa Securities said it welcomes the anticipated correction since the market needs to take a breather after an increase of 17.11% since the start of the second half.

“Should the market correct this week, we recommend that investors buy on the dip since the upward trend of the index has remained intact while the global economy slowly shows signs of improvement,” DBP-Daiwa Securities said.

Entry Credit: http://www.bworldonline.com