Index climbs in thin trade before Easter

Philippine markets were closed for the Easter holiday yesterday.

Share prices closed higher in thin trade on Wednesday before the break, with investors taking their lead from gains in Tokyo.

The Composite Index finished 10.12 points higher at 2,193.47 and the All-Shares Index put on 3.18 points to 679.18.

Advances led declines by 60 to 30, with 43 other stocks unchanged.

Fil-Estate Land rose after the company obtained key government permits for most of its multibillion-dollar projects in Luzon.

'They passed some regulatory hurdles that will allow them to pursue their projects,' an analyst said.