Latest news with #UOBKayHian
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Analysts: Bursa Malaysia likely to extend gains next week on upbeat GDP and tariff optimism
KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — Bursa Malaysia is likely to maintain its upward bias next week, building on the renewed buying interest seen over the past two sessions, said UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan. He foresees the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) trading within the 1,540-1,550 range, potentially retesting levels recorded prior to the deadline of the reciprocal tariff deferral. 'While (the United States) President Donald Trump's administration has yet to announce any formal amendments to Malaysia's tariff arrangement, the precedent set by recent favourable outcomes for Indonesia and Vietnam lends credence to the prospect of Malaysia's 25 per cent tariff being reviewed,' he told Bernama. Furthermore, he said the stronger-than-expected second-quarter gross domestic product figure should offer a constructive backdrop for market sentiment in the week ahead. 'In our assessment, the combination of resilient domestic growth and compelling equity valuations, particularly within a selectively risk-on environment is likely to continue attracting foreign investor interest into the Malaysian market,' he added. According to the Statistics Department Malaysia (DoSM), Malaysia's economy is forecast to grow by 4.5 per cent in the second quarter of 2025 (2Q 2025) based on advance gross domestic product (GDP) estimates, slightly outpacing the previous quarter's 4.4 per cent. Growth is expected to be driven by robust domestic demand amid global headwinds. For the week just ended, the benchmark index fell 10.21 points to 1,525.86 from 1,536.07 a week earlier. The FBM Emas Index declined 63.75 points to 11,479.83, the FBMT 100 Index dropped 67.05 points to 11,241.69, the FBM Emas Shariah Index slid 14.60 points to 11,537.87, the FBM 70 Index shed 63.63 points to 16,697.72, while the FBM ACE Index rose 133.62 points to 4,671.79. By sector, the Financial Services Index dipped 253.30 points to 17,354.83, the Plantation Index reduced 8.56 points to 7,441.89 and the Energy Index went up 1.51 points to 739.13. Weekly turnover narrowed to 15.53 billion units worth RM11.77 billion from 16.21 billion units worth RM11.43 billion in the previous week. Main Market volume fell to 6.73 billion units valued at RM10.07 billion, compared with 6.99 billion units valued at RM10.02 billion previously. Warrant turnover depreciated to 6.83 billion units worth RM966.72 million from 7.82 billion units worth RM911.38 million a week earlier. ACE Market volume widened to 1.97 billion units valued at RM729.96 million versus 1.41 billion units valued at RM490.78 million previously. — Bernama
Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Bursa Malaysia rebounds as bargain-hunting lifts KLCI above 1,520
KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 — Bursa Malaysia ended two days of losses to close higher on Thursday, tracking gains in the regional markets as bargain-hunting activities emerged following the recent sell-off. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) gained 9.44 points or 0.63 per cent to 1,520.94 from Wednesday's close of 1,511.50. The benchmark index opened 0.39 of a point higher at 1,511.89 and subsequently moved between 1,511.64 and 1,521.15 throughout the session. The market breadth was positive, with 547 gainers outpacing 416 decliners and 475 counters unchanged, while 1,019 were untraded and eight suspended. Turnover eased to 3.17 billion shares worth RM2.48 billion, compared with 3.18 billion shares worth RM2.44 billion on Wednesday. UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd's head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan said regional bourses recorded gains, suggesting a broader return of risk appetite. The local market was in sync with most of its regional peers — Singapore's Straits Times Index rose 0.66 per cent to 4,159.57, South Korea's Kospi advanced 0.37 per cent to 3,192.29 and Japan's Nikkei 225 gained by 0.6 per cent to 39,901.19. However, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index inched down 0.08 per cent to 24,498.95. 'Looking ahead, attention will turn to key United States (US) economic data releases later today, with June retail sales figures and last week's jobless claims scheduled for release. 'These indicators are likely to offer further insight into the strength of US consumer spending and labour market conditions — both critical gauges for the US Federal Reserve's policy outlook and global market sentiment,' he told Bernama. Mohd Sedek also said the FBM KLCI staged a sharp rebound today as investors seized on undervalued opportunities — a timely reminder that market fear often fades faster than value does. 'Today's performance was underpinned by a technical rebound, with bargain-hunters rotating into stocks that had been heavily sold down in recent sessions,' he added. Meanwhile, Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the stronger-than-expected China's gross domestic product (GDP) figures also lifted investor sentiment. 'We believe the benchmark index needs to reclaim the 1,530 level with strong volume in order to stage a sustained upward trajectory. For the moment, we anticipate the FBM KLCI to trend within the range of 1,510-1,530 towards the weekend,' he said. Among the heavyweight counters, Public Bank gained two sen to RM4.25, Tenaga Nasional added 10 sen to RM13.78 and IHH Healthcare was one sen higher at RM6.53, while Maybank and CIMB were flat at RM9.53 and RM6.50. In active trade, ACE Market debutant iCents Group gained 10 sen to 34 sen, NexG and Tanco rose half-a-sen each to 49 sen and 90 sen and Lotte Chemical Titan garnered 5.5 sen to 56 sen while Zetrix AI dropped 1.5 sen to 93.5 sen. On the index board, the FBM Emas Index increased 54.14 points to 11,425.17, the FBMT 100 Index gained 55.72 points to 11,188.37, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index added 70.02 points to 11,473.97. The FBM 70 Index went up 22.65 points to 16,544.04, while the FBM ACE Index garnered 53.90 points to 4,635.98. By sector, the Financial Services Index surged 58.59 points to 17,302.35, the Industrial Products and Services Index improved 1.36 points to 153.99, and the Plantation Index bagged 23.75 points to 7,430.54. The Energy Index inched up 3.44 points to 739.11 The Main Market volume retreated to 1.28 billion units worth RM2.08 billion from 1.38 billion units valued at RM2.11 billion on Wednesday. Warrant turnover fell to 1.38 billion units valued at RM207.39 million from 1.49 billion units worth RM213.66 million previously. The ACE Market volume increased to 512.88 million units valued at RM192.81 million, versus 304.96 million units worth RM112.71 million yesterday. Consumer products and services counters accounted for 220.49 million shares traded on the Main Market; industrial products and services (196.20 million), construction (92.47 million), technology (239.05 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (67.42 million), property (168.57 million), plantation (12.64 million), REITs (22.85 million), closed-end fund (4,200), energy (65.69 million), healthcare (78.87 million), telecommunications and media (38.44 million), transportation and logistics (40.28 million), utilities (34.28 million), and business trusts (15,600). — Bernama
Malay Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Malaysia's stock market slips as investors eye tariffs and slower rate cuts
KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Wednesday on continuous profit-taking in selected heavyweights led by the financial services and utilities sectors. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 13.90 points or 0.91 per cent to 1,511.50 from Tuesday's close of 1,525.40 The benchmark index opened 1.63 points lower at 1,523.77 and moved between 1,510.14 and 1,526.29 throughout the session. The market breadth was negative, with 727 decliners outpacing 335 gainers and 432 counters unchanged, while 951 were untraded and eight suspended. Turnover improved to 3.18 billion shares worth RM2.44 billion, compared with 3.07 billion shares worth RM2.36 billion on Tuesday UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd's head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan said telecommunications counters led gains among FBM KLCI constituents, while consumer discretionary names bore the brunt of the sell-off. However, across the broader market, all indices closed in negative territory, reflecting the cautious mood despite recent domestic interest rate cuts, he added. 'Adding to the subdued tone, Indonesia's successful negotiation of a 19 per cent tariff rate with the United States (US) further dampened sentiment as Malaysia awaits clarity on its tariff status, currently set at 25 per cent. 'This development highlights Malaysia's diminishing competitive edge in regional trade, particularly against Vietnam and Indonesia,' he told Bernama. Mohd Sedek also said market jitters intensified over US President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on the European Union (EU) and Mexico, stoking concerns that such measures could rekindle inflationary pressures following the stronger consumer price index (CPI) readings. 'US headline CPI accelerated to 2.7 per cent year-on-year in June, up from 2.4 per cent in May, prompting investors to reassess expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts. 'A steady flow of negative tariff headlines, coupled with waning hopes for near-term monetary easing in the US, continued to weigh on risk sentiment,' he added. Among the heavyweight counters, Maybank fell 12 sen to RM9.53, Public Bank slipped three sen to RM4.23, Tenaga Nasional shed 22 sen to RM13.68, CIMB lost 13 sen to RM6.50 and IHH Healthcare dropped six sen to RM6.52. In active trade, NexG gained one sen to 48.5 sen, Zetrix AI added two sen to 95 sen, TWL inched up half-a-sen to three sen, while Green Ocean Corporation went down 1.5 sen to 11 sen and Tanco was one sen lower to 89.5 sen. On the index board, the FBM Emas Index declined 105.05 points to 11,371.03, the FBMT 100 Index sank 104.96 points to 11,132.65, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index fell 79.23 points to 11,403.95. The FBM 70 Index dropped 167.01 points to 16,521.39, while the FBM ACE Index went down 5.54 points to 4,582.08. By sector, the Financial Services Index dipped 258.89 points to 17,243.76, the Industrial Products and Services Index shaved 0.76 of a point to 152.63, and the Plantation Index eased 11.63 points to 7,406.79. The Energy Index inched down 3.25 points to 735.67. The Main Market volume retreated to 1.38 billion units worth RM2.11 billion from 1.44 billion units valued at RM2.07 billion on Tuesday. Warrant turnover rose to 1.49 billion units valued at RM213.66 million from 1.28 billion units worth RM172.45 million previously. The ACE Market volume decreased to 304.96 million units valued at RM112.71 million, versus 347.59 million units worth RM122.67 million yesterday. Consumer products and services counters accounted for 206.34 million shares traded on the Main Market; industrial products and services (201.02 million), construction (73.57 million), technology (293.92 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (88.88 million), property (206.53 million), plantation (12.92 million), REITs (21.71 million), closed-end fund (12,600), energy (78.45 million), healthcare (112.27 million), telecommunications and media (33.65 million), transportation and logistics (18.68 million), utilities (30.12 million), and business trusts (51,100). — Bernama
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
China's Property Crisis Just Got Worse--And Vanke Is Sounding the Alarm
China's property market is sinking againand fast. New-home prices across 70 cities dropped 0.27% in June, the sharpest decline in eight months. Second-hand home values slipped even more, down 0.61%, with all four tier-1 cities registering monthly declines of at least 0.5%. Residential sales slumped 12.6% year-over-yearthe worst this yearand real estate investment is now down 11.2% for the first half, hitting levels last seen at the peak of the pandemic. The sector's persistent drag is now weighing on broader economic confidence, especially as earlier stimulus efforts begin to lose steam. Investors were momentarily encouraged last week as whispers of fresh support picked up ahead of this month's Politburo meeting. That optimism lifted the Bloomberg Intelligence index of Chinese developersuntil it didn't. The index gave back 3.3% on Tuesday, with Vanke (VNKEF) tumbling 3.6% after warning its first-half loss could reach up to 12 billion yuan ($1.67 billion). It's the latest sign that even the biggest players are struggling to stay above water. Analysts at UOB Kay Hian flagged a clear trend of market weakening and see a higher chance of new policy signals emerging from the July meeting. Still, Beijing may not rush in. Some economists think policymakers could hold off on a major packageat least for nowto conserve options in case U.S. tensions resurface after a temporary trade deal expires in August. That puts investors on high alert for any policy language from top leaders in the weeks ahead. For now, the message is clear: the housing market isn't out of the woods, and the wait for decisive intervention may not be over. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Free Malaysia Today
6 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Bursa ends at intraday low on selective heavyweight selling
KUALA LUMPUR : Bursa Malaysia ended at an intraday low today due to persistent selling in selected heavyweights, led by the financial services and construction sectors. UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd's head of investment research Sedek Jantan said the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI's (FBM KLCI) drop today reflected a cautious undertone among investors despite an improvement in broader market sentiment. 'Investor focus remains firmly on the progress of the US-Malaysia tariff negotiations, with the Aug 1 deadline for the imposition of a 25% import duty drawing near. 'The market appears to be factoring in a drawn-out negotiation process, contributing to prevailing risk aversion,' he told Bernama. Meanwhile, he said the investment, trade and industry ministry's (Miti) announcement on trade permit for artificial intelligence (AI) chips is a welcome step towards regulatory clarity, while persistent concerns over potential US export controls on AI chip shipments to Malaysia continue to cast a shadow over sentiment, particularly within the technology and semiconductor sectors. 'Nonetheless, from a medium to longer-term perspective, we see the strengthening of governance and compliance standards as a positive structural shift that may enhance Malaysia's competitive positioning within global value chains, potentially serving as a future catalyst for investor confidence,' he added. At 5pm, the FBM KLCI fell 12.11 points or 0.79% to 1,525.40 from yesterday's close of 1,537.51. Public Bank eased eight sen to RM4.26, Maybank slid seven sen to RM9.65 and Gamuda gave up 13 sen to RM4.96. These counters dragged the composite index down by 5.42 points. The benchmark index opened 1.45 points lower at 1,536.06 and hovered between 1,525.40 and 1,538.56 throughout the session. The market breadth was negative, with 601 decliners outpacing 412 gainers and 498 counters unchanged, while 918 were untraded and eight suspended. Turnover improved to 3.07 billion shares worth RM2.36 billion, compared with 2.93 billion shares worth RM1.67 billion yesterday. Among other heavyweight counters, CIMB reduced six sen to RM6.63, Hong Leong Bank lost 26 sen to RM19.30, Tenaga Nasional decreased eight sen to RM13.90, 99 Speed Mart added three sen to RM2.30 and Sunway rose four sen to RM4.92. In active trade, Zetrix AI was 5.5 sen lower at 93 sen, NationGate shed 12 sen to RM1.49, Dagang NeXchange weakened one sen to 30.5 sen, NexG gained 0.5 sen to 47.5 sen while Tanco was flat at 90.5 sen. On the index board, the FBM Emas Index declined 82.38 points to 11,476.08, the FBMT 100 Index sank 83.43 points to 11,237.61 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index fell 77.42 points to 11,483.18. The FBM 70 Index dropped 98.80 points to 16,688.40, while the FBM ACE Index improved 16.10 points to 4,587.62. By sector, the financial services index dipped 161.22 points to 17,502.65, the industrial products and services index shaved 0.48 of-a-point to 153.39 and the plantation index eased 15.68 points to 7,418.42. The energy index inched down 8.46 points to 738.92. The Main Market volume rebounded to 1.44 billion units worth RM2.07 billion from 1.13 billion units valued at RM1.35 billion yesterday. Warrants turnover slipped to 1.28 billion units valued at RM172.45 million from 1.46 billion units worth RM208.01 million previously. The ACE Market volume increased to 347.59 million units valued at RM122.67 million versus 342.18 million units worth RM113.55 million yesterday. Consumer products and services counters accounted for 171.02 million shares traded on the Main Market; industrial products and services (350.21 million), construction (107.34 million), technology (365.39 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (54.91 million), property (134.33 million), plantation (13.85 million), REITs (28.72 million), closed-end fund (3,400), energy (69.98 million), healthcare (50.38 million), telecommunications and media (30.08 million), transportation and logistics (37.56 million), utilities (28.22 million), and business trusts (24,300).
