AFTER rallying for seven consecutive days in the middle of the so-called ghost month, the Philippine stock market took a breather to close at 6,818.99 last August 17. This represents an impressive 8-percent increase from the start of the month, due mainly to favorable first-half corporate earnings results for majority of listed companies.

Over the past few months, meanwhile, there has been a spate of hostile takeovers that have gone beyond corporate boardrooms and urban settings. The most dramatic so far was last May 31 at the Okada Manila ballroom in Parañaque City during the stockholders' meeting of Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment Inc. (TRLEI) which operates the casino resort.