InterAksyon.com means BUSINESS
MANILA, Philippines - The number of online investor accounts grew nearly 50 percent, its fastest pace since the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) began its survey in 2007.
In a statement, the PSE said online accounts numbered 52,759 last year, a 48.4 percent jump from the 35,559 in 2010.
Nearly all of the online accounts were held by retail investors or individuals, with 97.4 percent comprising locals.
The share of online trades to total trades rose to 20.7 percent last year from 16.3 percent in 2010, while the number of online trades at 1.71 million increased from 868,327 over the same period.
At 97.4 percent of total online accounts, the bulk of online investors at 51,358 were active traders who traded at least once last year.
Online trading however accounted for only seven percent of total value turnover, yet was higher than the 4.5 percent in 2010.
“This rapid growth of online trading in the Philippines is reflective of the growing awareness about stock market investing among Filipinos. As the market continues to set new record levels in 2012, I think it is safe to say that the 17,000 new online investors were indeed wise to have opened accounts last year,” Hans B. Sicat, PSE president, said.
The PSE index has risen by 21.2 percent as of May 4, and has rewritten its closing high 19 times so far this year.
“We are very much encouraged by these figures particularly in light of our plans to encourage more trading participants to provide online trading services,” Sicat said.
Male investors outnumbered females, six to four. Close to six out of every 10 retail investors trading online had annual incomes of less than P500,000.
Nearly one out of every two retail online investors were aged between 30 and 44 years, while less than a third belonged to the 18 to 29 age bracket.
Nine trading participants furnished the PSE data on online investor accounts last year. These sources were Citiseconline.com Inc., BPI Securities Corp., First Metro Securities Brokerage Corp., Accord Capital Equities Corp., F. Yap Securities Inc., RCBC Securities Inc., AB Capital Securities Inc., Wealth Securities Inc., and Angping & Associates Securities Inc.
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