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KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 29): Bursa Malaysia bucked the regional trend to end the week sharply lower due to broad-based selling, said Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice president Thong Pak Leng. With the key index falling 1.10%, investors exercised caution due to global inflation concerns, fuelled by elevated crude oil prices and the looming US government shutdown. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 15.94 points to 1,424.17 to mark its intraday low from Wednesday’s close of 1,440.11. The benchmark index, which opened 3.72 points easier at 1,436.39, hit an intraday high of 1,436.97 in the morning session before succumbing to selling pressure in late trading. On the broader market, decliners beat gainers 578 to 379 while 438 counters were unchanged, 990 untraded and 98 others suspended. Turnover increased to 3.03 billion units worth RM2.43 billion from 2.97 billion units worth RM1.94 billion on Wednesday.

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 27): Bursa Malaysia finished lower on Wednesday amid a mixed regional market and after a volatile Wall Street overnight, a dealer said. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) dropped 5.44 points to 1,440.11 from Tuesday’s close of 1,445.55, after opening 4.69 points easier at 1,440.86.  The benchmark index moved between 1,436.75 and 1,441.87 throughout the session.  On the broader market, decliners beat gainers 572 to 341 while 442 counters were unchanged, 1,032 untraded and 100 others suspended. Turnover dropped to 2.97 billion units worth RM1.94 billion from 3.15 billion units worth RM1.95 billion yesterday. Apex Securities Bhd head of research Kenneth Leong said investors were also offloading shares ahead of a public holiday on Thursday. He expects the downward pressure to be sustained going forward in view of the lack of fresh leads, coupled with the ongoing concerns over the high-interest rate environment which may potentially damp...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 26): Bursa Malaysia ended marginally higher due to bargain-hunting activities following Monday’s sell-off. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 2.1 points higher to 1,445.55 from Monday’s close of 1,443.45. The index opened 0.66 of a point easier at 1,442.79 and moved between 1,441.89 and 1,447.05 throughout the day. On the broader market, decliners beat gainers 564 to 367, while 451 counters were unchanged, 1,006 untraded and 12 others suspended. Turnover was slightly lower at 3.15 billion units worth RM1.95 billion from 3.33 billion units worth RM2.04 billion yesterday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said key regional indices ended mostly lower due to fears of higher interest rates in the US, which may slow down the global technology sector. He noted that US Treasury yields reached a 16-year high on Tuesday, maintaining the dollar’s proximity to a 10-month peak and indicating that interest rates are poised...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 25): Bursa Malaysia retreated from its gains last week to close lower on Monday, due to profit-taking activities amidst mixed performance by regional markets, a dealer said. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 6.78 points to 1,443.45 from Friday’s Sept 22) close of 1,450.23. The index opened 0.4 of a point easier at 1,449.83 and moved between 1,441.17 and 1,450.32 throughout the day. Market breadth was negative as decliners beat gainers 555 to 392, while 448 counters were unchanged, 1,004 untraded and 49 others suspended. Turnover was slightly higher at 3.33 billion units worth RM2.04 billion from 3.13 billion units worth RM2.08 billion last week. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said key regional indices were mixed as investors were cautious ahead of inflation data from across the region this week. Meanwhile, he said the Wall Street’s losses over the weekend, concerns over China’s property sec...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 22): Bursa Malaysia ended the week higher due to a positive regional performance, according to an analyst, breaking a four-day losing streak. At 5pm on Friday, the FBM KLCI had risen 2.02 points to 1,450.23, from Thursday’s close at 1,448.21. The index opened 2.33 points weaker at 1,445.88, and moved between 1,441.50 and 1,450.69 throughout the day. The broader market was positive, with advancers leading decliners 504 to 403, while 472 counters were unchanged, 1,012 untraded, and 49 others suspended. Turnover declined to 3.13 billion units worth RM2.08 billion, from 3.25 billion units worth RM2.13 billion on Thursday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the KLCI finished marginally higher due to late buying, particularly for telecommunications, plantation, and energy stocks.  He said key regional indices trended higher on Friday, despite the US Federal Reserve’s hawkish tone on the interest rate tra...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 21): Bursa Malaysia closed lower for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, due to cautious sentiments within the regional economies, said an analyst.  At 5pm, the FBM KLCI had fallen 3.35 points to 1,448.21, from Wednesday’s close at 1,451.56. The index opened 1.21 points better at 1,452.77, and moved between 1,446.80 and 1,453.97 throughout the day. The broader market was negative, with decliners leading advancers 549 to 362, while 487 counters were unchanged, 976 untraded, and 11 others suspended. Turnover declined to 3.25 billion units worth RM2.13 billion, from 3.56 billion units worth RM2.51 billion on Wednesday. SPI Asset Management managing director Stephen Innes said key regional indices were in the red on Thursday, following the US Federal Reserve’s hawkish stance.  “Global markets think US yields could push higher. So, as the day wore on, the narrative has shifted back to the most precarious dynamics for global stock ...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 20): Bursa Malaysia ended lower for the third day in a row on Wednesday amid a mainly negative regional performance, said an analyst.  At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 6.1 points to 1,451.56 from Tuesday’s close of 1,457.66. The index opened 5.03 points weaker at 1,452.63 and moved between 1,450.37 and 1,456.77 throughout the day. However, the broader market was positive with advancers outpacing decliners 537 to 423 while 440 counters were unchanged, 974 untraded, and 11 others suspended. Turnover declined to 3.56 billion units worth RM2.51 billion from 3.95 billion units worth RM2.14 billion on Tuesday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said key regional indices finished mostly lower as investors were cautiously awaiting the outcome of the highly-anticipated US Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting on interest rates later on Wednesday night. "If there are no surprises from the US Federal Open Market Co...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 19): Bursa Malaysia’s key index ended slightly lower after a bumpy trading session while the broader market was firmer on lack of buying interest as investors focused on small- and mid-cap stocks. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 0.33 of a point to 1,457.66 from Monday’s close of 1,457.99. The index opened 1.27 points lower at 1,456.72 and moved between 1,454.61 and 1,459.0 throughout the day. The broader market was positive with advancers outpacing decliners 519 to 406, while 453 counters were unchanged, 996 untraded and 11 others suspended. Turnover was marginally higher at 3.95 billion units worth RM2.14 billion from 3.38 billion units worth RM2.12 billion on Monday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said key regional indices finished mostly lower due to cautious trading ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on Wednesday (Sept 20) while the Bank of Japan (BOJ) will anno...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 18): Bursa Malaysia closed marginally lower due to mild profit-taking following last Friday's (Sept 15) rally, said an analyst.  At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 1.04 points to 1,457.99 from last Friday’s closing of 1,459.03. The barometer index opened 2.07 points lower at 1,456.96 and moved between 1,452.86 and 1,458.46 throughout the day. The broader market was weaker with losers outpacing gainers 498 to 468, while 396 counters were unchanged, 1,011 untraded and 23 others suspended. Turnover decreased to 3.38 billion units worth RM2.12 billion from 4.02 billion units worth RM4.31 billion last Friday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said most key regional indices were also in the negative territory as investors are watching central banks closely for their decisions on policy rates.  The People's Bank of China (PBOC) is scheduled to decide on its key loan prime rates on Wednesday (...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 15): Bursa Malaysia bounced to close at its intra-day high on Friday as China’s better-than-expected latest economic data lifted regional sentiment. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) bagged 9.45 points to 1,459.03 from Thursday’s close of 1,449.58. The index opened 0.49 points lower at 1,449.09 and hit an intra-day low of 1,448.75. On the broader market, gainers outnumbered decliners 550 to 387 while 428 counters were unchanged, 1,008 untraded and 23 suspended. Turnover jumped to 4.02 billion units worth RM4.31 billion against Thursday’s 2.96 billion units worth RM2.20 billion. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said regional market undertones continued to improve as investors cheered the release of China's retail sales and industrial output figures for August that far surpassed economists' expectations. The country’s retail sales grew by 4.6% last month compared to a year ago, while industri...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 14): Shares on Bursa Malaysia ended lower on Thursday although volatility subsided amid renewed hope of a US Federal Reserve’s rate hike pause after the latest US inflation data. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) slid 3.96 points to 1,449.58 from Wednesday’s close of 1,453.54. The index opened 4.32 points lower at 1,449.22 and fluctuated between 1,445.31 and 1,455.09 throughout the session. On the broader market, gainers outnumbered decliners 527 to 342 while 459 counters were unchanged, 1,006 untraded and nine suspended. Turnover was higher at 2.96 billion units worth RM2.20 billion against Wednesday’s 2.51 billion units worth RM1.88 billion. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the FBM KLCI finished in negative territory as investors shifted their buying interest to smaller cap stocks. “Buying interest can be seen mainly on plantation, healthcare and telco stocks while the energy sector was und...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 13): Bursa Malaysia’s barometer index unexpectedly made a positive ending with slight gains despite cautious trading throughout the day. Investors, meanwhile, await the release of US inflation data later which could influence the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) policy outlook. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) improved by 0.15 of a point to end at its intraday high of 1,453.54. The index opened 6.36 points lower at 1,444.81 from 1,453.39 at Tuesday’s close.  Market breadth was mixed, with 480 decliners outnumbering 405 gainers, while 440 counters were unchanged and 1,009 untraded.  Turnover was lower at 2.51 billion units worth RM1.88 billion against Tuesday’s 2.88 billion units worth RM1.99 billion.  Investors are showing interest in undervalued stocks in the oil and gas industry due to a rise in oil prices, which have reached a nearly 10-month high due to supply constraints. This trend is also observed in other industries s...

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia closed slightly lower amid mixed regional market sentiments as investors awaited the US inflation data, said an analyst.   At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 1.65 points to 1,453.39 from 1,455.04 at Monday's close.  After opening 0.75 of a point lower at 1,454.29, the barometer index moved between 1,447.96 and 1,454.32 throughout the session. On the broader market, decliners thumped gainers by 524 to 354, with 450 counters unchanged and 994 untraded.  However, turnover was marginally higher at 2.88 billion units worth RM1.99 billion against Monday’s 2.8 billion units worth RM1.64 billion.  Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said key regional indices closed mixed ahead of the US consumer price index data which could influence the US Federal Reserve's (Fed) decision to raise the interest rates further. The US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen reportedly said she was ...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 11): Bursa Malaysia's FBM KLCI pared losses and eked out marginal gains at the close on Monday, on the back of financial counters amid a mixed regional performance dampened by worries over China’s property sector. At 5pm, the KLCI added 0.09 of a point to 1,455.04 from 1,454.95 at Friday’s close. After opening 1.23 points weaker at 1,453.72, the barometer index moved between 1,451.37 and 1,455.56 throughout the session. On the broader market, decliners thumped gainers by 609 to 295, with 445 counters unchanged and 974 untraded. Turnover increased to 2.8 billion units worth RM1.64 billion against Friday’s 2.55 billion units worth RM1.85 billion. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng reckons some bargain hunting might emerge going forward due to the cheap valuations of the benchmark. Thus, he expects the KLCI to trend sideways with an upside bias within the range of 1,445-1,465 for the week. "However, we be...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 8): Bursa Malaysia extended Thursday's losses to end lower on Friday, in line with weaker regional market sentiment, due to growing concerns over the bearish economic outlook, dealers said. At 5pm, the FBM KLCI had declined 5.12 points to settle at 1,454.59, from 1,460.07 at Thursday’s close. The barometer index opened 0.53 of a point easier at 1,459.54, and moved between 1,454.70 and 1,460.23 throughout the day. On the broader market, decliners thumped gainers 503 to 364, with 443 counters unchanged, 1,013 untraded, and seven others suspended. Turnover decreased to 2.55 billion units worth RM1.85 billion, against Thursday’s 3.21 billion units worth RM2.02 billion. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the KLCI finished lower, as investor sentiment was affected by a major selldown in the region. “Key regional indices trended lower, with strong selling in the Japanese stock market, as Japan's economy grew ...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 7): Bursa Malaysia ended lower on Thursday, in line with weaker sentiments on regional markets, as investors remained cautious over the bearish economic outlook, dealers said. At 5pm, the FBM KLCI had eased 0.55 of a point to end at 1,460.07, from 1,460.62 at Wednesday’s close. On the broader market, decliners thumped gainers 531 to 386, with 458 counters unchanged, 932 untraded, and seven others suspended. Turnover decreased to 3.21 billion units worth RM2.02 billion, against Wednesday’s 4.18 billion units worth RM2.13 billion. A dealer said that most Asian stocks were on a downtrend on Thursday, following a sell-off on Wall Street, and as investors assessed trade data from China and Australia. “Chinese imports and exports fell 7.3% and 8.8% year-on-year respectively, less than the 9.0% and 9.2% drops forecast by a poll of economists by Reuters ,” he said. He said all three major Wall Street indices, namely the Dow Jones, Nasdaq ...

UALA LUMPUR (Sept 6): Bursa Malaysia ended higher on Wednesday, driven by bargain-hunting in selected financial and energy blue chips amid a mixed performance in regional markets, dealers said. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 5.79 points to end at 1,460.62 from 1,454.83 at Tuesday’s close. The barometer index opened 0.18 of a point higher at 1,455.01 and moved between 1,454.25 and 1,463.04 during the session. On the broader market, gainers thumped decliners 531 to 380, with 458 counters unchanged, 942 untraded and seven others suspended. Turnover increased marginally to 4.18 billion units worth RM2.13 billion against Tuesday’s 4.09 billion units worth RM2.39 billion. CIMB Group Holding Bhd and Mr DIY Group Bhd were the top two contributors towards the local benchmark index’s uptrend with a total of 2.31 points,, rising seven sen each to RM5.72 and RM1.52, respectively.

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 5): Bursa Malaysia ended lower on Tuesday, driven by continuous selling in selected plantation and financial services counters, in tandem with the weaker performance on the regional markets, dealers said. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) declined 7.89 points to end at 1,454.83 from 1,462.72 at Monday’s close. The barometer index opened 0.14 of a point easier at 1,462.58, being the highest point for the day and moved to as low as 1,452.48 during the session. On the broader market, decliners outpaced gainers 688 to 309, with 403 counters unchanged, 899 untraded and seven others suspended. Turnover increased marginally to 4.09 billion units worth RM2.39 billion against Monday’s 4.01 billion units worth RM2.37 billion. Sime Darby Plantation Bhd and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd were the top two contributors towards the local benchmark index’s downtrend, declining 10 sen and six sen to RM4.34 and RM5.65 respectively, with a total of 2.28 po...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 4): Bursa Malaysia ended marginally lower on Monday amid continuous mild profit taking in selected heavyweights and bullish sentiment on the regional market, dealers said. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.71 of a point to end at 1,462.72 from 1,463.43 at Friday’s (Sept 1) close. The barometer index opened 0.64 of a point firmer at 1,464.07 and moved between 1,460.84 and 1,465.93 during the day. On the broader market, decliners outpaced gainers 526 to 489, with 404 counters unchanged, 896 untraded and 31 others suspended. Turnover decreased to 4.01 billion units worth RM2.37 billion against Friday’s 4.65 billion units worth RM3.08 billion. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the KLCI ended in negative territory due to profit-taking activities during the final minutes of trading. “Meanwhile, major regional indices moved in an upward direction, riding the wave of opti...

KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 1): Bursa Malaysia ended higher on Friday in sync with regional bourses’ upbeat performance as market sentiment turned positive and fuelled investors' risk appetite. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 11.49 points to end at the intraday high of 1,463.43 from 1,451.94 at Wednesday's close. The barometer index opened 9.97 points firmer at 1,461.91 and fell as low as 1,454.67 during the day. On the broader market, gainers outpaced decliners 567 to 424, while 398 counters unchanged, 937 untraded and 33 others suspended. Turnover decreased to 4.65 billion units worth RM3.08 billion against Wednesday’s 4.9 billion units worth RM4.75 billion. (The market was closed on Thursday for the National Day celebration.)  Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the KLCI ended higher with buying focused mainly on telecommunication and commodity-related stocks. “Key regional marke...