Kuala Lumpur, Oct 13 – Bursa Malaysia ended lower today with the barometer index FBM KLCI ceded 7.21 points or -0.52% to 1,373.36.
Meanwhile the Asian bourses tracked the negative cue of S&P500 as anxious mood piled just ahead of the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) release, hence investors are seen as remaining on the sidelines. The recent sell-off in Asian stocks amid the risk-off mode, which is attributed to economic woes around the world, on top of the Fed’s tightening of monetary policy.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was the laggard in Asia, declined 1.7% as investors feared more disruptions from new U.S. restrictions on semiconductor exports to China. Whilst Japan’s Nikkei 225 index down 0.6% with inflation readings showed that the economy will have to contend with higher prices for much longer. This in turn will weaken Yen and hurt the earnings of companies importing materials from overseas.
Investors put their focus on U.S. CPI inflation data, which due later in the day. Minutes of the Fed’s September meeting showed that the bank has little intention of softening its stance, and intends to keep interest rates elevated in the long-term.
** The FTSE BM KLCI opened at 1,384.86. The index fluctuated between 1,372.57 – 1,385.07.
** 321 counters are gainers, 353 counters are unchanged, while 521 counters are decliners.
** Total volume of 2,030,366,000 shares changed hands; while Turnover of RM 1,691,672,306
** The Top 5 Gainers: BOXPAK (1.08, +0.15); ARTRONIQ (0.70, +0.145); HSI-HKD (1.51, +0.14); HSI-HEM (0.82, +0.135); HARTA (1.84, +0.11)
** The Top 5 Losers: MPI (25.46, -0.42); PETDAG (19.90, -0.40); RVIEW (3.35, -0.25); PANAMY (22.38, -0.24); PPB (15.70, -0.24)
** The Top 5 Active : TOPGLOV (0.69, +0.055); MYEG (0.79, -0.09); CITAGLB (0.27, -0.015); HSI-CJW (0.06, -0.015); SOPERMX (0.775, +0.065)
* Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI) shed 36.82 points or -1.19% to 3,046.37; Hong Kong’s HSI dived 311.92 points or -1.87% at 16,389.11; Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index ceded 159.41 points or -0.6% at 26,237.42; Shanghai’s SSE Composite Index down 9.15 points or -0.30% at 3,016.36; Korea’s Kospi Index tumbled 39.60 points or -1.80% at 2,162.87; Australia S&P/ASX 200 Index dropped 4.90 points or -0.074% at 6,642.60.
