Stocks top 6,900 on weak US data

The benchmark stock exchange index perked up to beyond 6,900 points at the start of the week, with investors buying on indications that the US central bank would hold off from raising policy rates.

Already rising more than 1 percent in earlier trade, the Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) ended at 6,961.93, up 111.32 points for a 1.63 percent increase. The wider All Shares index added 54.36 points or 1.37 percent to 4,011.55.