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 (Sept 23): Bursa Malaysia’s key index ended broadly higher as investors took the opportunity to hunt for bargains today, said an analyst.
At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) jumped 10.32 points, or 0.67%, to 1,539.34, from Wednesday’s close of 1,529.02.
The index, which opened 3.31 points higher at 1,532.33, moved between 1,531.18 and 1,539.73 throughout the day.
Market breadth was positive with gainers outpacing decliners 625 to 419, while 423 counters were unchanged, 835 untraded, and five others suspended.
Turnover rose to 4.74 billion units worth RM3.54 billion from Wednesday’s 4.12 billion units worth RM3.16 billion.Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng reckoned that the FBM KLCI continued to see some buying support from foreign funds.
“Nonetheless, market undertone remains cautious; hence we expect the benchmark index to remain stuck in a narrow trading range. We see the FBM KLCI hovering between the 1,540-1,550 range towards the weekend,” he told Bernama.
Key regional markets are also in the green following positive signs overnight from Wall Street’s performance and easing concerns about the impact of Evergrande Group's debt issue.
Singapore’s Straits Times index jumped 1.12% to 3,083.71 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index surged 1.19% to 24,510.98, but Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.67% to 29,639.4.
Among the heavyweights, Malayan Banking Bhd rose five sen to RM8.15, Public Bank Bhd gained two sen to RM4.06, Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd added three sen to RM8.08, Tenaga Nasional Bhd surged 18 sen to RM9.99, Digi.Com Bhd was flat at RM4.46, and PPB Group Bhd fell two sen to RM18.30.
Of the actives, Dagang NeXchange Bhd jumped six sen to 83 sen, Bintai Kinden Corp Bhd advanced 3.5 sen to 68.5 sen, Serba Dinamik Holdings Bhd edged up half-a-sen to 34 sen, KNM Group Bhd was flat at 23 sen, and TFP Solutions Bhd eased 3.5 sen to 12.5 sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index advanced 71.72 points to 11,304.83, the FBMT 100 Index was 67.07 points higher at 11,004.53, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index chalked up 69.86 points to 12,313.53.
The FBM 70 surged 65.17 points to 14,972.1 while the FBM ACE gained 13.99 points to 7,121.54.
Sector wise, the Plantation Index went up 72.21 points to 6,346.93, the Industrial Products and Services Index gained 1.63 points to 199.85, and the Financial Services Index picked up 117.5 points to 15,271.36.
The Main Market volume increased to 3.16 billion shares worth RM3.07 billion from 2.61 billion shares worth RM2.72 billion on Wednesday.
Warrants turnover rose to 384.26 million units, valued at RM61.7 million, against 222.76 million units valued at RM25.46 million yesterday.
Volume on the ACE Market eased to 1.18 billion units worth RM405.22 million from Wednesday’s 1.26 billion units worth RM416.51 million.
Consumer products and services counters accounted for 572.04 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (1.05 billion), construction (119.17 million), technology (593.34 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (46.26 million), property (130 million), plantation (37.94 million), REITs (8.88 million), closed/fund (109,400), energy (367.46 million), healthcare (89.57 million), telecommunications and media (50.57 million), transportation and logistics (70.46 million) and utilities (20.85 million).
Source: The Edge
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