Stocks removal from index may lead to RM146mil fund outflows
KUALA LUMPUR: The removal of six stocks from the MSCI Malaysia Small Cap Index is expected to lead to fund outflows of RM146 million, according to CIMB Securities.
In its latest review, MSCI removed British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Bhd, D&O Green Technologies Bhd, Dayang Enterprise Holdings Bhd, Pentamaster Corp Bhd,Sports Toto Bhd and UWC Bhd from the index.
MSCI said the six stocks accounted for around 4.4 per cent of the total free float adjusted market capitalisation.
Non-strategic foreign shareholdings in these stocks are relatively low ranging between 4.7 per cent and 17.7 per cent.
"We project that potential fund outflows - assuming all identified passive holders within the top 30 shareholders fully exit their positions - could amount to about RM146 million," it said.
All changes will take effect at the close of trading on May 30, 2025, according to MSCI.
"Given the absence of major changes in the MSCI Malaysia Index, which represents 85 per cent of the Malaysian stock market, we expect minimal market impact from the latest index review," it added.
Separately, CIMB Securities noted that daily foreign fund inflows surged to a record-high of RM796.1 million on May 13, a day after the US and China agreed to lower tariffs on each other's products for the next 90 days.
This marked a de-escalation in the ongoing trade war between the world's two largest economies.
"To put things in perspective, foreign funds' net buy of RM2.6 billion from April 10 to 14 May, 2025 represented only 21 per cent of the total net sell from Jan 1 to April 9, 2025 of RM12.4billion.
"This suggests there is room for foreign funds to return to the Malaysian equity market especially in light of the low foreign shareholding of 19.4 per cent and improving market sentiment," it added.
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