MONEY MASTER

  KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 31): The benchmark index at Bursa Malaysia fell 17.2 points or 1.05% to 1,627.21 points today, as investors took profit on the last trading day of 2020 prior to the extended New Year weekend. Losers led gainers by 620 to 474, while 501 counters traded unchanged. Some 5.51 billion shares worth RM3.11 billion were traded today. The losers list was topped by Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd, which slid 60 sen or 1.84% to RM32.08, Nestle (M) Bhd, which fell 60 sen or 0.43% to RM138.9, and Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, which dropped 52 sen or 2.15% to RM23.68. Also on the losers list, at the 11th spot, was Sime Darby Plantation Bhd, which lost 18 sen or 3.48% to settle at RM4.99, following news that the United States has banned imports of palm oil from the group. Meanwhile, Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd, Toyo Ventures Holdings Bhd and BLD Plantation Bhd were among the top gainers. MPI rose RM1.08 or 4.34% to RM25.96, while Toyo Ventures again hit limit u...

    KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 30): The FBM KLCI closed up 9.42 points or 0.58% at 1,644.41 today after MSCI's gauge of Asia-Pacific shares climbed to a record high on world economic recovery bets in anticipation of continued global monetary and fiscal policy support. Fund managers’ portfolio window dressing is also seen contributing to Malaysian share gains. Across Bursa Malaysia at 5pm, 7.82 billion securities were traded for RM3.65 billion. "Stocks should return to base building mode to strengthen higher supports pending potential late window-dressing action ahead of the year-end,” TA Securities Holdings Bhd analysts wrote in a note today. Globally, it was reported that Asian shares hit a record high on Wednesday with investors betting on a strong economic recovery next year, as there is little sign of policymakers winding back massive stimulus efforts aimed at staving off coronavirus-fuelled downturns. It was reported that MSCI's gauge of Asia-Pacific shares excludi...

  KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 28): The FBM KLCI today closed 2.73 points or 0.17% higher after the extended Christmas weekend, following the release of the country's better-than-expected November export figures. At 5pm, the local benchmark index closed at 1,643.9 points. Besides the November export figure — which rose for the third straight month and was up 4.3% year-on-year — progress on the US fiscal stimulus aid also lifted the benchmark index, according to Rakuten Trade Research vice president Vincent Lau. Reuters reported that US President Donald Trump signed a US$2.3 trillion financial aid and spending bill after initially refusing to approve the legislation, which restores unemployment benefits to millions and averts a partial federal government shutdown. At the same time, Europe has launched a mass Covid-19 vaccination drive on Sunday, while vaccinations have also begun in Britain and the United States, raising hope that major economies can shake off the drag caused by...