The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index inched up 17.10 points, or 0.45 percent, to 3,784.88, bringing to 3.2 percent the rise over the last four consecutive sessions.

The market is awaiting the U.S. Federal Reserve's next move on interest rates, said Astro del Castillo, managing director of First Grade Holdings. It largely ignored President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's decision Thursday to grant a pardon to her ousted predecessor, Joseph Estrada, after he was convicted of plunder, he said.

Markets will be closed Monday for nationwide village elections, and again on Nov. 1-2 for All Saints Day.

Conglomerate Ayala Corp. led the rise, gaining 2.5 percent to 615 pesos. Its unit Bank of Philippine Islands climbed 1.5 percent to 70 pesos ahead of third-quarter earnings results next week.

Philex Mining Corp. soared 5.4 percent to a record-high 9.80 pesos amid rising metal prices.

Heavyweight Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. lost 0.2 percent to finish at 3,070 pesos.

Trans-Asia Oil & Energy Development Corp. surged 43 percent to 2.20 pesos after reporting estimates of hydrocarbon deposits in its Marantao project indicate a possibility of a significant find of oil or natural gas.

Gainers led decliners 69 to 44, while 55 stocks were unchanged.