The Bank of Russia unexpectedly maintained its key interest rate at a record-high 21% , defying analysts’ expectations of another significant hike as inflation remains stubbornly elevated. The decision marks a shift toward a more measured approach in balancing economic growth and price stability. Key Details Inflation Concerns: Annual inflation climbed to 8.9% in November, well above the central bank’s 4% target , with inflation expectations reaching 13.9% in December. Policy Rationale: The central bank cited the significant tightening of monetary conditions after October’s 200-basis point hike as sufficient to resume disinflationary processes. Governor Elvira Nabiullina emphasized avoiding both economic overheating and severe slowdowns. Economic Overheating: Elevated government spending on the war in Ukraine and social programs, coupled with labor shortages and rising wages, have fueled strong domestic demand, exacerbating price pressures...
KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 3): The FBM KLCI closed up 7.26 points or 0.49% to finish at its intraday high at 1,500.26, helped among others by late bargain hunting in plantation and banking shares, while major Asian equity indices ended lower.
At 5pm today, the 30-stock KLCI topped 1,500 points after closing down 1.6 points at 1,493 yesterday, as investors weighed factors including lingering concerns about Malaysia’s Covid-19 pandemic situation.
Today, Maybank Investment Bank Bhd senior chartist Nik Ihsan Raja Abdullah told theedgemarkets.com that from a technical viewpoint, the Malaysian stock market was oversold yesterday.
Nik Ihsan said "sentiment in general remains cautious”, as investors weigh the country’s daily number of Covid-19 cases which rose to 17,105 today, from 15,764 yesterday.
Across Bursa Malaysia today, 4.16 billion shares were traded for RM2.72 billion. There were 493 decliners and 473 gainers.
Top gainers included KLCI stocks Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd (KLK) and Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd (HLFG).
Plantation company KLK’s share price closed up 64 sen or 3.43% at RM19.30, while HLFG rose 28 sen or 1.65% to RM17.30.
At a glance, the KLCI’s rise above 1,500 points today was also helped by share price gains in other KLCI constituents including Petronas Gas Bhd, which closed up 24 sen or 1.55% at RM15.72.
The KLCI closed higher today, while major Asian equity indices fell. In China, the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite closed 0.47% lower at 3,447.99, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng settled down 0.16% at 26,194.82.
Elsewhere, Japan’s Nikkei 225 finished 0.5% lower at 27,641.83.
Globally, it was reported that the government bond market rally that had sent US Treasury yields under 1.2% and the entire German curve negative fizzled out on Tuesday, though there were more problems in China, as internet giant Tencent took another battering.
It was reported that the US dollar meanwhile lurked just off one-month lows, after disappointing economic data on Monday.
"It had also pushed the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield as low as 1.151%, its lowest since July 20. Germany's 10-year yield, the benchmark for the euro zone, fell to its lowest since early February at -0.486%,” Reuters reported.
Source: The Edge
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