KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Friday amid mixed regional market performance as investors turned cautious over a possible rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and upcoming US economic data that may influence the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate decision next week. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) pared most earlier losses to settle 4.55 points easier, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,616.52 from Thursday’s close of 1,621.07. The benchmark index, which opened 0.37 of-a-point lower at 1,620.70, moved between 1,609.67 and 1,621.25 throughout the day. The broader market was negative, with decliners outpacing advancers 604 to 439. A total of 550 counters were unchanged, 1,151 untraded, and 18 suspended. Turnover declined to 3.17 billion units worth RM2.24 billion from 4.48 billion units worth RM2.75 billion yesterday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-presiden...
KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 8): The FBM KLCI ended up 0.4 point or 0.02% at 1,609.73 today after paring gains shortly following a spike in the final trading hour.
The KLCI spike followed Bank Negara Malaysia's (BNM) announcement that the statutory reserve requirement (SRR) ratio for banks will be lowered from 3.5% to 3% effective from Nov 16.
BNM said today in a statement the move aims to maintain sufficient liquidity in the domestic financial system. At Bursa Malaysia, the KLCI spiked to its intraday high at 1,614.19 in the final trading hour after falling to its intraday low at 1,606.02.
Analysts said banking shares reacted positively to the news as a lower SRR ratio means financial insitutions will have more money to lend to borrowers.
Nomura head of equity research for Malaysia Tushar Mohata told theedgemarkets.com the KLCI was boosted at the 11th hour mainly by banks' share price rise.
The list includes KLCI-linked banks Public Bank Bhd and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd.
“The slight pick up seen in the KLCI today was due to BNM cutting the SRR ratio from 3.5% to 3%,” the analyst said.
At Bursa, a late jump in Public Bank's share price, helped the stock reach its intraday high of RM20.20. At the 5pm market close, Public Bank pared gains at RM19.94 for an eight sen or 0.4% rise.
Across Bursa, turnover stood at 3.11 billion shares worth RM2.15 billion. Top gainers included VSTECS Bhd and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd as world markets took cue from the status of US-China trade talks.
Reuters reported that Asian stocks retreated from six-month highs on Friday as conflicting signals from China and the US on progress made in trade talks deflated market hopes of a near term truce to end their damaging tariff war.
It was reported that Friday's market moves contrast with Thursday's surge of optimism in global markets on news Beijing and China have agreed to roll back tariffs on each others' goods as part of the first phase of a trade deal.
"Multiple sources familiar with the talks said the plan faced fierce internal opposition at the White House and from outside advisers. Worries the pact could fall apart as there was still no specific agreement for a phased rollback prompted some investors to sell heading into the weekend," Reuters reported.
Source: The Edge
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