Bursa Malaysia Market Chat 2009 | Maybank Investment Bank Berhad
Do You wanna known about Local and Global Stock Market Outlook for 2010?
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Should You Buy Gold Now till we grow old?
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Buy Stocks or say Good-Bye?
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When to Leverage Exchange Traded Fund(ETF) via Employees Provident Fund (EPF)?
Get Detail Insight on:
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The global financial and economic outlook
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Market strategies
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Stock recommendations
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Commodity and currency trends
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Leveraged products
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How to make ETF (Exchange-traded funds) part of your portfolio
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Tools to help make you more investment-savvy
There have been recent economic “recoveries” globally, but are they sustainable?
- And if the global financial crisis of ‘07/’08 is behind us, what should your investment strategy be?
- Should you continue buying stock or take profit at market highs and temporarily avoid equities?
- Should you buy gold fearing inflation, or is deflation the real threat?
- Should you invest in ETFs with the new EPF Investment Scheme or let professionals handle your retirement money?
All these and more will be addressed and discussed at Maybank Investment Bank Berhad–Bursa Market Chat 2009 Roadshow.
As part of the Bursa Malaysia initiative to keep investors informed of the financial markets, Maybank Investment Bank Berhad has assembled a panel of leading industry experts to help you with these crucial questions.
Maybank Investment Bank Berhad Research has won many prestigious awards including Best Research House, Best Economist, Best Plantation Analyst and Best Consumer Analyst prizes for The Edge 2008 Awards.
With this commitment to research excellence and integrity, you can work towards Financial Freedom and make cutting edge investment decisions.
Bursa Market Chat Programme
| Venue | Date & Time | Program |
| The Puteri Pacific, Johor Bahru | 24 Oct 2009 8.30 am-12.30pm (Saturday) |
Arrival & Registration Welcome Speech Bursa Welcome Address & Talk Roundtable Discussion Coffee Break Forum Wrap-Up & Closing Refreshment END |
| Northam All Suites, Penang | 31 Oct 2009 8.30 am-12.30pm (Saturday) |
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| Tower Regency, Ipoh | 18 Nov 2009 5.30 pm-9.40pm (Wednesday) |
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| Securities Commission, Klang Valley | 9 Jan 2010 8.30 am-12.30pm (Saturday) |
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| Le Meridien Hotel, Kota Kinabalu | 22 Jan 2010 5.30 pm-9.30pm (Friday) |
Arrival of Guests Welcome Speech Bursa Welcome Address & Talk Guest Speakers Coffee Break END |
| Tanahmas Hotel, Sibu | 23 Jan 2010 5.30 pm-9.30pm (Saturday) |
Perks
All participants of the Market Chat 2009 will qualify for the following:
- CD containing Maybank Investment Bank Berhad Top-rated research report including audio, video and PDF reports,
Corporate Information, Relevant Forms and User Information - Market Insight Newsletter (online)
- Access to NextVIEW Financial Portal, Investors Education Workshop Voucher (worth RM50),
ATIC KL 2010 entry ticket (worth RM28)
Extra Perks
For participants who open a trading account with Maybank Investment Bank Berhad on the Market Chat event day, they will get an additional 1 month exclusive trial access for NextVIEW Financial Terminal (worth RM342 per month per ID) and Recognia Stock Screener (worth RM380 per month per ID)
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Speaker, Johor Bahru, Penang & Ipoh Jimmy Loke is the key founder of OSK188 and also started the very successful 1st online financial trading portal in Malaysia, JetFM. Jimmy’s experience and good grasp of the financial industry sees him providing practical and sound proven trading methodology in helping investors to trade smartly. He graduated from Queen’s University of Belfast with majors in Computer Science & Business Studies. Jimmy will be speaking in Johor Bahru, Penang & Ipoh |
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Speaker, Johor Bahru Rajiv Vijendran, Director, Head of Equity Capital Markets, Maybank IB has over 18 years experience in strategic financial advisory services, equity sales and equity capital markets. He was in Arthur Andersen, London, before joining RHB Group, KL where he undertook numerous roles including Head of Business Development and Private Client Sales, and Executive Director at RHB Securities for 4 years. He joined Maybank IB since 2006 as Head of Institutional Sales where he was involved in a number of landmark Malaysian IPOs, including YTL Power, MAXIS, PLUS Expressways, ASTRO and Air Asia. He is a Chartered Accountant with ICAEW and holds a Bachelor of Economics Degree from Macquarie University, Australia.Rajiv Vijendran will be speaking in Johor Bahru |
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Speaker, Penang & Ipoh Gerald Ambrose is the Head of Malaysian Operations running the KL Office of Aberdeen Asset Management. Gerald joined Aberdeen in 2005 after the Malaysian government selected Aberdeen to be the first wholly-owned fund manager in the country under the Special Scheme inaugurated that year. Previously, Gerald worked for Kim Eng Securities as Institutional Sales Director. Prior to that, Gerald worked for HSBC James Capel as a Malaysian Specialist. Gerald Ambrose graduated with a MA (Hons) in Land Economy from Pembroke College, Cambridge University. Gerald will be speaking in Penang & Ipoh |
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Speaker, Penang Teoh Cheng Guan, Portfolio Manager, Equity, Mayban Investment Management Sdn Bhd, graduated from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia with Bachelor of Economics (Accounting) and Bachelor of Civil Engineering. After that, he served as an Auditor and Financial Consultant in Arthur Andersen & Co and in Morgan Grenfell Asia Holdings Ltd. as an Investment Banker. He was seconded to K&N Kenanga to do investment research in 1992. Whilst there, he briefly switched to investment dealing in 1994 and then returned to investment research in 1997. Prior to joining Mayban Investment Management Sdn Bhd in 2009, he had had more than 15 years of experience in the equity investment research industry. Cheng Guan will be speaking in Penang |
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Speaker, Ipoh Abd Kadir Sahlan has been the CEO and Director of Mayban Investment Management Sdn Bhd since August 2007. He was the Head of Portfolio Management at MaybanLife Assurance Berhad (MaybanLife) where he actively managed all asset classes i.e. fixed income, equity, cash and structured products for in-house funds of about RM16 billion. Before joining Maybank Group, he was Head of Fixed Income and Structured Products at RHB Asset Management Sdn Bhd. He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Computer Science. Kadir will be speaking in Ipoh |
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Moderator for Johor Bahru, Ipoh, Penang and speaker in Kota Kinabalu & Sibu Lee Cheng Hooi is one of Malaysia’s prominent technical analysts. He is currently the Head of Retail Research at Maybank Investment Bank Berhad. He holds a Master of Science Degree in Statistics from London School of Economics, England in 1985. Having studied technical analysis with the foremost experts like Jeanne Long (Financial Astrology), Max Wenk (Elliott Wave), Russell Sands (Turtle System) and Curtis Arnold (Pattern Probability Strategy) since 1989, he was The Edge’s first The Right Timing columnist from 1995-1999. Cheng Hooi will be the moderator for Johor Bahru, Ipoh, Penang and speaker in Kota Kinabalu & Sibu |
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Stock Watch episode 13, 30 August 2009 – round table interview part 1 of 4
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Speaker, Klang Valley Suhaimi Ilias, Chief Economist, Maybank IB, started his career at the Economics Department of Bank Negara Malaysia in August 1993. He joined Maybank Investment Bank in March 2007. To date, his experience in Economic Research spans 15 years in that line. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), Economics and a Master of Arts (Hons) in Economics from Cambridge University. In 2008, Suhaimi was voted the best local economist in the Edge Brokers Poll and came in third in Asiamoney’s Broker’s Poll on local brokers for Malaysia macroeconomic research. Suhaimi Illias will be speaking in Klang Valley |
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Stock Watch episode 13, 30 August 2009 – round table interview part 2 of 4
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Paul Smith is the CEO of Asia Alternative Asset Partners Limited (Triple A Partners), a business support services provider to asset management business in Asia. From 1996-2006, Paul was Global Head of HSBC PLC Alternative Fund Administration (previously known as Bank of Bermuda Ltd) and prior to that, he was Managing Director for the Ermitage Group. Paul was a member of Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission Committees on Unit Trusts and Real Estate Funds and serves on the Hong Kong council of the Alternative Investment Management Association. He is a Chartered Accountant, Chartered Financial Analyst and holds a degree from Oxford University, England. Paul Smith will be speaking in Klang Valley |
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Stock Watch episode 13, 30 August 2009 – round table interview part 3 of 4
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Mohammed Rashdan Mohd Yusof is the CEO and Director of Maybank IB. Before that, he was the co-founder and Managing Director of BinaFikir Sdn Bhd, and accumulated over 10 years of experience in audit and business advisory services in PriceWaterhouseCoopers in London and KL. Having over 16 years of related experience, Rashdan is now a specialist in financial services, derivatives and structured finance. He holds a Double First Class Honours Degree in Economics from University of Cambridge. He is a Chartered Accountant with ICAEW, an Associate Member of the Association of Corporate Treasurers of UK. Rashdan will be speaking in Klang Valley |
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Stock Watch episode 13, 30 August 2009 – round table interview part 4 of 4
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Robert Howe has been a fund manager since 1983 and is now the founder and CEO of the Geomatrix Group. He was Chairman and Chief Investment Officer for AIG Global Investment Corp (Japan) where he won a Morningstar #1 Japan Award in 2004. He was Senior Portfolio Manager for Rowe Price-Fleming in Tokyo and Hong Kong for a decade and had won a Lipper Plaque for #1 Japan Fund in 1992. He was an Economist at the World Bank and Data Resources. Howe holds an MBA in Finance from Harvard, and a BA in Economics from Yale. He was a founding board member of the Chartered Financial Analysts Society in Japan, and is currently active in CFA Hawaii and CFA Hong Kong. Robert will be speaking in Klang Valley |
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Speaker, Kota Kinabalu & Sibu Richard Kang is the CEO of Chart Trading Solutions Sdn Bhd. He is an experienced stock and futures trader specializing in technical analysis for more than 10 years. He has conducted numerous technical analysis workshops for private and professional investors/traders and brokers in Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, China and Hong Kong. Richard is a trilingual speaker with the ability to conduct training courses in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and English. Richard was also invited to speak in Asia Traders and Investors Convention (ATIC) in China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. Richard will be speaking in Kota Kinabalu & Sibu |
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Moderator for Klang Valley Mark Laudi is the CEO of Hong Bao Media, a Singapore-based company which produces content for websites, and provides media and presentation training Master Classes. He is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster, well-known to radio and TV audiences in the Asia Pacific. During his 7-year career at CNBC Asia Pacific, he held almost every position in the newsroom, including Producer and Australia Editor, and in front of the camera as Stock Reporter, Anchor and Field Reporter. At the age of 28, Mark launched CNBC Australia in Sydney as Bureau Chief. Mark will be the moderator for Klang Valley |
You are cordially invited to the sessions
Please RSVP your attendance
Sign up for this important stock market seminar now!
You may register by contacting your the Maybank Group representatives, as listed below:
Location,
Maybank Representative,
Telephone Number
Johore Bahru
Nor Azah Arif
07-3381139
Shrifah Latifah Syed Faud
Penang
Eileen Lee Mei Lin
04-2260608 / 04 2255470
Shaharudeen Omar
04-8298686
Ipoh
Ooi Yoke Cheng
05-2453400
Kuala Lumpur
Kim Gee Chong
03-22846584
Hazel Chan Wai Fong
Jennifer Chee Chiew
03-22841707
Kota Kinabalu
Yun
088-219196 / 948
Sibu
Chieng Lee Choo
084-345194 / 187
Seats are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis!
** KL Seats event registration is closed due to full capacity.
Maybank IB – Bursa Malaysia Market Chat Receives Good Turn Up
JOHOR BAHARU, Oct 24 (Bernama) — One hundred participants took part in The Market Chat Roadshow organised by Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) Bhd, in collaboration with Bursa Malaysia.
The participants were given valuable insights into the current volatile financial market and investment opportunities following the tabling of Budget 2010 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Friday.
The Market Chat educated the public on making the best investment decisions to attain consistent returns.
The talk was moderated by Head of Retail Research Lee Cheng Hooi at Maybank IB while the panelists were Maybank IB Director and Head of Equity Capital Markets Rajiv Vijendran and financial blogger Jimmy Loke. – BERNAMA
from:bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=449373
2009 an extraordinary period for financial markets
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Let’s call 2009 a comeback year for investors, and we won’t be too far off the mark in describing what had been an extraordinary period for financial markets worldwide.
On the local bourse, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KL Composite Index (FBM KLCI) rose 1.66 points higher to close at 1,272.78 on the year’s last trading day.
The late rise yesterday capped the 30-counter strong benchmark index’s 45% rise for the year. This was the index’s biggest annual gain since 1993.
The performance, impressive as it was, however paled in comparison to other regional bourses.
The stock market in Indonesia took the top spot for Asia’s best performer in 2009 if returns were measured in US dollar terms. The Jakarta Composite Index climbed 87% in absolute amount, but the return was at a hefty 123% calculated in US dollars.
The rupiah’s 18.3% advance against the greenback during the year gave international investors in Indonesia an extra bang for their buck.
The main stock barometer of mainland China’s Shenzhen bourse soared 116% using the same US dollar return measure, while India’s Sensex Index gained 89% in 2009.
Even New Zealand’s lethargic Top 50 Index was ahead to post a 47% annual return, boosted by the currency’s 25% appreciation against the US dollar.
The worst performer in Asia was Japan’s Nikkei 225 average, up by a meagre 17% in 2009.
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Friday January 1, 2010
2009 an extraordinary period for financial markets
By IZWAN IDRIS
PETALING JAYA: Let’s call 2009 a comeback year for investors, and we won’t be too far off the mark in describing what had been an extraordinary period for financial markets worldwide.
On the local bourse, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KL Composite Index (FBM KLCI) rose 1.66 points higher to close at 1,272.78 on the year’s last trading day.
The late rise yesterday capped the 30-counter strong benchmark index’s 45% rise for the year. This was the index’s biggest annual gain since 1993.
The performance, impressive as it was, however paled in comparison to other regional bourses.
The stock market in Indonesia took the top spot for Asia’s best performer in 2009 if returns were measured in US dollar terms. The Jakarta Composite Index climbed 87% in absolute amount, but the return was at a hefty 123% calculated in US dollars.
The rupiah’s 18.3% advance against the greenback during the year gave international investors in Indonesia an extra bang for their buck.
The main stock barometer of mainland China’s Shenzhen bourse soared 116% using the same US dollar return measure, while India’s Sensex Index gained 89% in 2009.
Even New Zealand’s lethargic Top 50 Index was ahead to post a 47% annual return, boosted by the currency’s 25% appreciation against the US dollar.
The worst performer in Asia was Japan’s Nikkei 225 average, up by a meagre 17% in 2009.
At this time a year ago, few dared to invest in stocks.
There were views that the huge sell-off in the last quarter of 2008 had opened up a “window of opportunity” for investors to scoop up good stocks at bargain prices.
But with the benefit of hindsight, the opportunity call was a chance of a lifetime.
The FBM KLCI was at its low point of 838.39 on March 12. Nine months down the road, it was clear that almost all major markets hit a trough at roughly the same time.
A StarBiz report on March 12 quoted money managers at Aberdeen Asset Management advising investors to take “some risks” and predicting Asian equities to take the lead in a global stock market revival this year.
Talk about being spot on.
Fuelled by cheap credit, brave investors made their way back into the market at the end of the first quarter.
By the end of June, the bulls were back in the driving seat and the liquidity torrent unleashed by governments worldwide continued to lift prices higher almost unabated for the remaining period of the year.
Analysts are now predicting more highs for Asian stocks in 2010, provided the global economic recovery remains intact.
One big reason why local stocks continued to lag behind regional advances in 2009 was due to the lack of foreign participation.
As at end-June, foreign equity ownership on the local bourse had fallen to about 20%, while markets in Indonesia and South Korea were experiencing huge inflows.
Inter-Pacific Research’s head Anthony Dass believes that overseas investors would shift their attention to Malaysia in 2010.
“Much will depend on newsflow, especially with respect to execution of reform policies,’’ he said.
He noted that local big-capitalised firms were mostly “low beta” plays, and this could attract investors seeking exposure in less volatile stocks that pay steady dividend income.
Despite their handicap in 2009, the stocks on the local bourse fared well. The banking sector was one of the big winners.
Most local banks, save for Malayan Banking Bhd, continued to report record earnings and were virtually unscathed by the global credit crisis.
Shares in CIMB Group Holdings Bhd – the country’s second biggest banking group – surged 119% in 2009 to its closing of RM12.84 yesterday. The stock hit a record RM13.48 in mid-November.
Plantation stocks were also on a rebound, buoyed by the recovery in crude palm oil prices. Shares in Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd advanced 85% to RM16.50, PPB Group Bhd rose 71% to RM15.96 and IOI Corp Bhd up 58% to RM5.47.
But investors really reaped rewards from rubber glove makers.
Latexx Partners Bhd’s share price soared 540% to RM3.07, Supermax Corp Bhd jumped 490% to RM4.72 and Top Glove Corp Bhd was up 187% to RM10.06 yesterday.
Among the builders, IJM Corp Bhd jumped 124% to end the year at RM4.48 despite lingering worries over its exposure to the Middle East construction market.
The financial crisis in Dubai had already claimed a local victim, LCL Corp Bhd.
Meanwhile, the initial public offering market was essentialy dead for the most part of the year and was only saved by Maxis Bhd’s return to the local bourse in November.
from:biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/1/business/5396921&sec=business
FBM KLCI gains 45.2pc year-on-year
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Share prices on Bursa Malaysia edged higher on New Year’s Eve on Thursday. The FTSE Bursa Malaysia Composite Index (FBM KLCI) continued to stay above its critical support of 1,250 points when it closed at 1,272.78.
The FBM KLCI opened marginally higher at 1,263.53 before rebounding to close at the day’s high of 1,272.73 on Monday, giving a day-on-day gain of 8.79 points, or 0.70 per cent.
The benchmark index opened higher at 1,272.99 before rebounding to close at its day peak of 1,275.22 on Tuesday, giving a day-on-day gain of 2.49 points, or 0.20 per cent.
Overall market sentiment on Bursa Malaysia consolidated in step with rangebound activities on the regional stock markets on Wednesday. The FBM KLCI closed at 1,271.12, giving a day-on-day loss of 4.10 point, or 0.32 per cent.
A rebound on the Hong Kong stock market lifted share prices on Bursa Malaysia marginally higher on the eve of the New Year holidays. The FBM KLCI closed marginally higher at 1,272.78 on Thursday, giving a day-on-day gain of 1.66 points, or 0.13 per cent.
On the foreign front, the New York Stock Exchange’s Dow Jones Industrial Average continued to stay above its major psychological support of 10,000 points. The Dow closed at 10,428.05 on Thursday, giving a four-day loss of 92.05 points, or 0.87 per cent.
The tech stock heavy Nasdaq Composite Index continued to stay above its critical support of 2,200 when it closed at 2,269.15, giving a four-day loss of 16.54 points, or 0.72 per cent.
The Tokyo stock market, meanwhile, continued to stay above its major psychological support on Wednesday. The Nikkei 225 Index closed at 10,546.44 points, giving a three-day gain of 51.73 points, or 0.49 per cent.
In Hong Kong, the stock market staged a follow-through rebound on Thursday. The Hang Seng Index closed at 21,872.50, posting a four-day gain of 355.50 points, or 1.65 per cent.
On Bursa Malaysia, the FBM KLCI posted a week-on-week increase of 8.84 points, or 0.70 per cent.
The following are the readings of some of the FBM KLCI’s technical indicators:
Moving Averages: The FBM KLCI continued to stay above its 10-,20-, 30-, 50-, 100- and 200-day moving averages.
Momentum Index: Its short-term momentum index stayed above the support of its neutral reference line.
On Balance Volume: Its short-term OBV trend stayed above the support of its 10-day exponential moving averages.
Relative Strength Index: Its 14-day RSI stood at the 56.81 per cent level on Thursday.
Outlook
The FBM KLCI rebounded from its intra-year low of 836.51 on March 12 2009 to its intra-year high of 1,288.42 on November 17 2009, giving an intra-year trading range of 451.91 points.
The continuing rebounds on the regional stock markets lifted market sentiment on Bursa Malaysia. The FBMKLCI notched a year-on-year gain of 396.03 points, or 45.17 per cent, when compared to its closing of 876.75 on December 31 2008.
Against the backdrop of global gloom and credit crunch, heavyweight blue chips led the market recovery, giving a total market capitalisation of RM999.4 billion on December 31 2009, recording a gain of 50.6 per cent over its market capitalisation of RM663.8 billion on December 31 2008. Its gain of 50.56 per cent had managed to outperform the FBM KLCI’s year-on-year gain of 45.17 per cent.
As it turned out, the FBM KLCI’s year-on-year gain of 45.17 points ranked second from the bottom of the performance list of Asia-Pacific stock markets. The Nikkei 225 Index was last on the table with 19.04 per cent. Sri Lanka’s Colombo All Share Index was the best performing market with a year-on-year gain of 125.25 per cent while the rest of the stock markets (except Tokyo and Bursa Malaysia) recorded year-on-year gains exceeding 50 per cent.
China’s Shenzhen Composite Index, with a year-on-year jump of 117.12 per cent, ranked as the second best performing market in the region. The Jakarta Composite Index and India’s BSE Sensex 30 Index were third and fourth with year-on-year gains of 86.98 and 81.0 per cent respectively.
The FBM KLCI’s 30 components replaced the KLCI’s 100 components on July 6, rising from 1,065.83 points to close at 1,272.78 on December 31 2009, posting a gain of 206.95 points, or 19.42 per cent.
MMC Corp, CIMB, AMMB and Genting posted year-on-year gains of 133.65, 119.49, 102.43 and 98.38 per cent respectively. They contributed enormously to the FBM KLCI’s 19.42 per cent in the second half of 2009. In fact, 23 of the FBM KLCI’s 30 components were in the exclusive RM10 billion (market capitalisation) club.
The FBM KLCI’s weekly chart continued to stay below the support of its intermediate-term uptrend (See FBM KLCI’s weekly chart A3:A4) at the market close on Thursday. It continued to stay above the neckline (A1:A2) of its head-and-shoulders pattern formation.
Chartwise, the FBM KLCI’s daily trend continued to stay below the lower support (See FBM KLCI’s daily chart B3:B4) of its intermediate-term uptrend channel (B3:B4 and B5:B6) on Thursday. Also, the FBM KLCI continued to stay above the neckline (B1:B2) of its head-and-shoulders pattern formation.
The benchmark index’s daily and monthly fast Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicators (MACDs) stayed above their respective slow MACDs on Thursday. Its weekly fast MACD continued to stay above its weekly slow MACD.
The FBM KLCI’s 14-day RSI stayed at 56.81 per cent level on Thursday. Its 14-week and 14-month Relative Strength Index stayed at 70.41 and 64.12 per cent levels respectively.
Last week, this column commented that institutional investors’ year-end window-dressing exercise was over and done with. The next four days were likely to see to rangebound trading on lack of fresh market leads. It did. The FBM KLCI trended within a range of 11.95 points (1,263.34-1,275.29 levels).
Overall market sentiment will remain upbeat in the first half of 2010. With that, the FBM KLCI is likely to edge closer to its overhead resistance zone (1,350 to 1,450). However, the FBM KLCI is likely to experience choppy movements during the second half of 2010. Its immediate downside support for the year is likely to be around 1,100 to 1,200.
Next week, the FBM KLCI’s envisaged resistance zone hovers at 1,277 to 1,311 while its immediate downside support is at 1,235 to 1,269.
The subject expressed above is based purely on technical analysis and opinions of the writer. It is not a solicitation to buy or sell.
from:btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/tek2/Article/
Foreign funds are back but politics still a concern
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Although foreign funds are back in the country’s equities market amid the strengthening global and domestic economy, concerns over the political and social situation still exist, a forum was told on Saturday.
Maybank Investment Bank chief economist Suhaimi Ilias said foreign investors’ participation in Malaysia’s capital market was only 40% previously.
“(But) it is now increasing steadily,” he said at the Market Chat 2009/2010 Road Show.
Asia Alternative Asset Partners Ltd chief executive officer Paul Smith, however, cautioned that there were still concerns, especially about the political and social situation in the country.
He said increasing crime rate was one of them.
“Malaysia is competing with the rest of Asia. So, it has to make itself as attractive as possible as the draw for most international investors is currently North Asia rather than South-East Asia,” he said.
Smith said South-East Asia had become somewhat a backwater and the capital controls, imposed for many years now, had made it harder for international players to get back into the market in a substantial manner.
Geomatrix Group chief executive officer Robert Howe said in terms of hedging, there was a need for a futures market that has more than 5,000 contracts traded a day.
However, there had been a “slight improvement” in the KLCI futures market, he said.
Suhaimi said Maybank Investment expected the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index to touch 1,410 level by end-2010.
Meanwhile, Suhaimi, in a research paper, said Malaysia’s real gross domestic product was expected to rebound by 4.5% in 2010.
“(This growth) is expected to be driven by the pick-up in consumer spending, recovery in exports and gross fixed-capital formation, as well as positive inventory adjustment, resulting in a broad-based growth in all economic sectors,” he said.
fr:biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/11/business/5446316&sec=business
Yusli: Positive signs of recovery in equities market
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There are positive signs of recovery in the equities market especially, after Bursa Malaysia’s market capitalisation hit RM1 trillion last Tuesday, Bursa Malaysia’s chief executive officer Datuk Yusli Mohamed Yusoff said.
“It is a feat last achieved in 2007 before the global financial crisis,” he said at the a Market Chat 2009/2010 Roadshow on Saturday.
He said retail participation was also coming back – on the first day of trading this year retailers recorded an encouraging 34% (from some 20% 2009). “With the Government adopting an aggressive stance to make Malaysia a high-value economy, this would translate into a new era of growth for our economy,” he said.
Yusli said with such major transformation taking place, sectors of the economy that were deemed high value and high growth would see more economic activities.
“This will also have a positive impact on the Malaysian capital market and those who choose to participate,” he said.
Bursa Malaysia, he said, was serious in further developing the capital market. “While we make every effort to remain market friendly, you must also know that investor protection is a top priority for us. We remain focused on maintaining a regulatory framework that is effective without compromising market integrity,” he said.
fr:biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/11/business/5446320&sec=business