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 (Feb 28): Bursa Malaysia ended firmer on Monday (Feb 28) on persistent buying interest in blue chips as investors shrugged off the tensions between Russia and Ukraine, dealers said.
A dealer said investors had started to buy heavyweights following the announcement of positive corporate earnings recently.
At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) advanced 1.04% or 16.56 points to 1,608.28 from 1,591.72 at Friday’s close.
The barometer index, which opened 4.02 points higher at 1,595.74, its intraday low, hit an intraday high of 1,613.49 during the early session.However, the overall market breadth was negative with losers surpassing gainers 635 to 413, while 368 counters were unchanged, 862 untraded, and 51 others suspended
Total turnover rose marginally to 3.47 billion units worth RM3.97 billion against 3.24 billion units worth RM2.92 billion last Friday.
Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said the news that Russia is prepared to send a delegation to Belarusian capital Minsk for talks with Ukraine had also provided a fillip to the positive sentiment.
On the domestic front, he said the FBM KLCI had broken the 1,600 technical resistance again and it might head towards the next resistance at around 1,618-1,620 level.
“We remain cautiously optimistic given the improvement in the local market sentiment and foreign support but investors should stay alert on the increasing market volatility and external uncertainties,” he told Bernama.
As such, he said the FBM KLCI was expected to move range-bound and hover at the 1,600-1,620 level for the week.
“Technically, the immediate resistance is unchanged at 1,618, while support is at 1,570,” he said.
Heavyweights Malayan Banking Bhd fell 12 sen to RM8.76, Telekom Malaysia Bhd shrank 29 sen to RM5.06, Public Bank Bhd increased eight sen to RM4.45, MR DIY Group (M) Bhd dropped six sen to RM3.63, Sime Darby Bhd shed four sen to RM2.27, and Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd slipped RM1.10 to RM134.
As for the actives, ACE Market debutant Siab Holdings Bhd added one sen to 31 sen, SMTrack Bhd gained half-a-sen to 24 sen, Dagang NeXchange Bhd and Bumi Armada Bhd eased two sen each to RM1.13 and 47.5 sen respectively, and Fitters Diversified Bhd declined 7.5 sen to 25.5 sen.
On the index board, the FBM ACE fell 61.06 points to 5,887.78, FBM 70 declined 39.88 points to 13,476.06, FBM Emas Index gained 76.54 points to 11,426.78, FBMT 100 Index increased 82.69 points to 11,105.86, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index expanded 101.12 points to 12,117.59.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index put on 40.26 points to 16,524.9, the Industrial Products and Services Index was 2.23 points firmer at 210.88, and the Plantation Index climbed 217.22 points to 8,315.51.
The Main Market volume increased to 2.34 billion shares worth RM3.7 billion from 2.16 billion shares worth RM2.69 billion on Friday.
Warrants turnover rose to 314.05 million units worth RM46.12 million against 269.01 million units worth RM43.75 million on Friday.
The ACE Market volume widened to 822.68 million shares valued at RM219.19 million versus 812.63 million shares valued at RM188.63 million previously.
Consumer products and services counters accounted for 351.48 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (487.92 million), construction (86.01 million), technology (277.63 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (162.62 million), property (145.27 million), plantation (298 million), REITs (15.68 million), closed/fund (nil), energy (319.34 million), healthcare (72.35 million), telecommunications and media (56.49 million), transportation and logistics (40.16 million), and utilities (28.08 million).
Source: The Edge
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