PSEi slips below 7,200

Local equities retreated to just under 7,200 points on Thursday as global concerns about unrest in Hong Kong, a sharp decline in the US consumer confidence index, and the persistence of the Ebola epidemic affected the market for a second day.

At one point down nearly 80 points during the trading session, bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) recovered slightly by the closing bell, ending 71.80 points or 0.99 lower at 7,196.26, while the All Shares index likewise dropped 1.009 percent or 43.33 points to 4,250.52.