Kuala Lumpur, Oct 20 – Bursa Malaysia ended in a bullish note today with the benchmark index FBM KLCI surged 22.62 points or +1.60% at 1,437.72. The index was lifted by energy, banking stocks and selective heavyweights.
Meanwhile, the Asia bourses ended in red as economic fears weigh. The 10-year US Treasury yields have recorded a fresh 14-year high at 4.15%. Upbeat returns on the US government bonds have dragged the risk-sensitive assets into a negative trajectory.
The Japanese Yen has hit 32-year low against the greenback, weakened past 150 per U.S. dollar late in the afternoon. An emergency bond-buying program worth $667 million by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) has triggered the risk of further weakness in the Japanese yen.
Hong Kong’s HSI pared some of its earlier losses and ended at 1.40% lower, hitting its lowest level since May 2009. The index was dragged by tech stocks. Whilst the directionless Shanghai’s SSE Composite Index fell 0.31% at 3,035.05. The offshore Chinese Yuan strengthened after as the debates emerged on reducing Covid quarantines from 10 days to 1 week. The central bank of China has held its loan prime rate unchanged. This act reinforces anticipations that the government will roll out more stimulus measures to move the economic engine. The stimulus was emphasized during the 20th National Congress.
** The FTSE BM KLCI opened at 1,414.72. The index fluctuated between 1,411.74 – 1,432.91.
** 493 counters are gainers, 373 counters are unchanged, while 365 counters are decliners.
** Total volume of 2,706,969,000 shares changed hands; while Turnover of RM 2,595,909,586
** The Top 5 Gainers: HEXTECH (9.10, +2.00); NESTLE (134.00, +1.30); HEIM (23.68, +0.78); CARLSBG (22.84, +0.64); PANAMY (22.90, +0.40)
** The Top 5 Losers: MPI (25.16, -1.08); DLADY (30.56, -0.74); BAT (10.00, -0.28); FANG-2XL (5.18, -0.25); AYER (5.95, -0.25)
** The Top 5 Active : SERBADK (0.03, +0.015); BORNOIL (0.025, +0.005); TOPGLOV (0.735, +0.01); HSI-CJ5 (0.065, -0.01); CAREPLS (0.44, +0.035)
* Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI) down 4.71 points or -0.16% to 3,018.09; Hong Kong’s HSI slid 231.06 points or -1.40% at 16,280.22; Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index slumped 250.42 points or -0.92% at 27,006.96; Shanghai’s SSE Composite Index dropped 9.33 points or -0.31% at 3,035.05; Korea’s Kospi Index shed 19.35 points or -0.86% at 2,218.09; Australia S&P/ASX 200 Index dropped 69.40 points or -1.02% at 6,730.70.
