PSE invites Cebuanos to free stock market seminar

CEBU, Philippines — The Philippine Stock Exchange is inviting Cebuanos to a free stock market seminar on September 1, it announced in an advisory.

The roadshow, with the theme “Achieving Financial Freedom through Investments,” is happening at the Sky Hall of SM Seaside City Cebu at 1-6 PM.

The event forms part of PSE's advocacy to promote financial literacy and stock market awareness in key cities and areas outside Metro Manila.

It will highlight talks on investing basics, investing in shariah-compliant securities and investor rights protection.

The PSE has also tapped speakers from partner stockbrokerage firms to give talks on various investment literacy topics.

The roadshow will have a broker expo prior to the seminar that will be participated in by PSE's partner stockbrokerage firms.

The broker expo will allow attendees to inquire and open stock market accounts on site.

Marco Nino Velasco, trader at Maybank ATR Kim Eng, had said the increasing awareness on investing and the free information in the internet are helping boost the growth of retail stock market investors in Visayas and Cebu.

"Awareness is so far in its highs," he said.

Data from PSE showed that Visayas' share in the retail investor count nationwide registered a growth to 8.2 percent from 6.2 percent in 2017.

Cebu, being a financial hub in the region, contributed significantly to this growth.

Last year, total stock market accounts nationwide increased 12.4 percent to 868,810 from the 773,187 in 2016.

In its report, the PSE said local online trading accounts continue to grow faster.

Online stock trading accounts grew by 28.5 percent last year to 388,864, accounting for about 45 percent of total trading accounts at the local stock market. The share was 39 percent in the previous year. (FREEMAN)