MONEY MASTER

Malaysia’s equity market closed lower on Wednesday as  selling pressure in banking and utility stocks weighed on the benchmark index . The  FBM KLCI declined 0.80% to 1,698.22 , slipping below the psychological  1,700 level , while broader market indices also weakened. Mid- and small-cap stocks saw heavier losses: FBM 70:  17,154.26 ( -1.17% ) FBM Small Cap:  15,416.70 ( -1.60% ) FBM Emas Index:  12,434.47 ( -0.94% ) The decline suggests  risk sentiment remains cautious , with investors trimming positions after recent market gains. KLCI Movers Top Gainers PPB Group  led the benchmark gainers. Stock Price Change PPB RM10.90 +2.83% Sunway RM5.63 +1.44% Press Metal RM7.40 +0.82% MR DIY RM1.72 +0.58% IOI Corp RM3.92 +0.51% PPB’s rise helped cushion losses in the broader index , while gains in  property and plantation stocks  provided limited support. Top Losers Selling pressure was concentrated in  utilities and consumer names . Stock P...

Shares of  DRB-Hicom Bhd  surged to a three-month high after delivering earnings well above expectations. The stock climbed as much as 8% to RM1.24, valuing the group at roughly RM2.4 billion. But beneath the headline beat, analyst opinions remain sharply divided. What Drove the Surprise According to  Hong Leong Investment Bank : 4QFY2025 core PATAMI: ~RM136 million FY2025 core earnings: ~RM178 million Earnings came in at 189% of HLIB’s forecast Key drivers: Strong Proton vehicle sales Improved margins Land sales contribution Proton highlights: 19,800 units sold in January 2026 (record high) Over 100,000 bookings for Saga MC3 3,000+ deliveries of e.MAS 5 EV in January Consolidation of manufacturing at Tanjung Malim for cost efficiency Money Master Take This is a classic case of  headline beat vs structural sustainability . 1️⃣ Proton Is Carrying the Story The turnaround narrative rests heavily on Proton. Sales momentum is strong EV adoption gaining traction Geely reg...

Malaysia’s ringgit breaking below  4.00/USD  changes the equity leadership playbook. A strong MYR is  not uniformly bullish or bearish  — it  reshuffles winners and losers  across sectors. Below is a clean  who wins / who loses  framework for navigating a strong-currency regime. Who Wins from a Strong MYR 1) Index Heavyweights & Financials Why they win: Attract  foreign inflows  seeking currency + equity upside Lower FX volatility improves  valuation confidence Balance sheets less sensitive to USD revenue translation Key beneficiaries Malayan Banking CIMB Group Holdings Market effect: Stronger MYR + inflows =  index resilience , even when exporters lag. 2) Utilities & Domestic Defensives Why they win: Revenue largely  ringgit-denominated Lower imported fuel, equipment, and capex costs Viewed as  safe allocations  by foreign funds in EM rotations Key beneficiaries Tenaga Nasional Telekom Malaysia 3) Import...

Hup Seng Industries Bhd's (KL ) shares surged after the company reported record quarterly profits and announced a special dividend. The biscuit maker's stock rose 9.1% to RM1.20 at its peak before settling at RM1.16, valuing the company at RM928 million with 1.7 million shares traded by 9:15 am. BIMB Securities upgraded Hup Seng to a “buy” with a target price of RM1.36, following stronger-than-expected quarterly results. The firm cited Hup Seng’s enhanced production capabilities and solid market positioning as key growth drivers. Earnings projections for FY2024F, FY2025F, and FY2026F were raised by 26.9%, 28.4%, and 30.1%, respectively, driven by an anticipated rise in sales from increased production and market reach. Festive season demand is expected to further boost sales momentum, BIMB noted. However, they cautioned about potential margin pressures due to rising palm oil costs.

Lotte Chemical Titan Holding Bhd shares fell to their lowest level since April 2020 on Thursday, with investors reacting to widening quarterly losses and an uncertain future. The company’s stock dropped by as much as 4.5 sen, or nearly 5%, to 91.5 sen , giving it a market capitalisation of RM2.13 billion . The petrochemical company faces challenges as product spreads remain under pressure due to a global supply glut , primarily from new capacity expansions in China . Analysts at TA Securities noted that Lotte Chemical is likely to stay in the red “over the next few quarters” and maintained a 'sell' rating on the stock. The company has reported quarterly losses since 2QFY2022 and is expected to continue to report losses through this year. Analysts estimate that Lotte Chemical may not return to profitability for another two years , according to Bloomberg consensus data. A significant challenge for Lotte Chemical is the squeeze in spreads between naphtha costs and polymer sel...

  1.  Media Prima Bhd : Aurora Mulia Sdn Bhd, linked to tycoon Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary , exited Media Prima Bhd after five years as the largest shareholder by selling its 31.9% stake , valued at RM164.52 million based on Media Prima’s closing price. The buyer's identity remains unknown. 2.  HeiTech Padu Bhd : HeiTech Padu terminated its agreement to acquire a 30% stake in Souqa Fintech Sdn Bhd , less than two weeks after signing. The company did not provide details on the reason for the cancellation. 3. Uzma Bhd : Uzma's 50MW solar farm in Sungai Petani, Kedah reached its commercial operation date on Sept 25. The project is expected to contribute to the company's renewable energy portfolio. 4.  Dayang Enterprise Holdings Bhd : Dayang secured work boat contracts from Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd for six vessels, with durations ranging between 61 and 153 days. Four vessels belong to Dayang, while two are under its 64%-owned Perdana Petroleum Bhd. 5.  Hibis...

Foreign investors remained net buyers of Malaysian equities for the sixth consecutive week, with a total inflow of RM271.5 million last week, according to MIDF Research. Despite a shortened trading week due to the Mawlid holiday on September 16, foreign investors net bought RM167.7 million on Tuesday, RM122.9 million on Thursday, and RM57.0 million on Friday, offsetting Wednesday's net sell of RM76.1 million . Malaysia’s August 2024 export growth , driven by strong demand for electronics and rising shipments to the US and other key markets, exceeded expectations. Exports grew 12.1% year-on-year , reaching RM129.16 billion , while gross imports saw a significant 26.2% year-on-year increase to RM123.49 billion . The financial services sector attracted the highest foreign inflows, with RM352.2 million , followed by healthcare at RM211.9 million , and property at RM55.0 million . In contrast, the utilities sector recorded the highest outflows at RM172.3 million , with techn...