Kuala Lumpur, February 13 – Bursa Malaysia ended in pale green with the well-weathered FBM KLCI index merely collected 0.58 points or +0.04% at 1,475.17.
Most Asian bourses sank as market participants hunkered down ahead of more cues on monetary policy from key U.S. inflation data due this week.
Chinese stock markets, however, were performing well today as investors are hopeful of a reopening-led recovery this year with strong-consumption pulling the economy from the mire. Beijing has also announced initiatives to boost investment, employment and hence, bolstering the confidence of the public in the economy by loosening their purse-strings.
Australia stocks finished off lower with the S&P/ASX 200 Index surrendered 0.21%. The index was weighed down by losses in the Consumer Discretionary, IT and Healthcare sectors led shares lower.
Whilst the worst performer for the day went to Singapore’s STI index, slumped nearly 1%.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index, tumbled down 0.88% as markets also awaited more details from the government on the next Bank of Japan governor, which is due this week. The nomination of a hawkish candidate could spur further weakness in Japanese stocks.
The challenge of the new BOJ governor is this, to shoulder the burden of executing the bank’s ultra-loose policy amid rising inflation and slowing economic growth.
** The FTSE BM KLCI opened at 1,474.72. The index fluctuated between 1,469.26- 1,474.84.
** 349 counters are gainers, 372 counters are unchanged, while 590 counters are decliners.
** Total volume of 3.697 billion shares changed hands; while Turnover of RM 2.046 billion
** The Top 5 Gainers: NESTLE (138.00, +2.90); PMBTECH-LA (24.50, +1.70); KESM (8.80, +0.57); RAPID (16.48, +0.50); VIS (1.03, +0.295)
** The Top 5 Losers: MPI (32.14, -1.84); HEXTECH (26.02, -0.98); FANG-2XL (7.07, -0.63); VITROX (7.93, -0.27); KLK (21.74, -0.20)
** The Top 5 Active: MYEG (0.605, -0.005); SAPNRG (0.055, +0.01); ZENTECH-WB (0.015, -0.005); IRIS (0.115, -0.02); ZENTECH (0.025, -0.01)
Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI) tumbled 32.40 points or -0.96% to 3,328.29; Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index (HSI) eased 26 points or -0.12% at 21,164.42; Japan’s Nikkei 225 index slumped 243.66 points or -0.88% at 27,427.32; Shanghai’s SSE Composite Index collected 23.49 points or +0.72% at 3,284.16; Korea’s Kospi Index dropped 17.03 points or -0.69% at 2,452.70; Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index shed 15.90 points or -0.21% at 7,417.80.
