KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — Bullish buying momentum in index-linked counters is expected to continue driving Bursa Malaysia higher next week, while influencing the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) to hit the 1,700-point level.
Phillip Capital Management Malaysia senior vice-president (investment) Datuk Nazri Khan Adam Khan said construction-related stocks would take the lead in demand next week, as sentiment for the sector improved.
He said the confidence of investors was building up and expected the government to invest in projects previously reviewed, but now to be revived or scaled down, such as the East Coast Rail Link and mass rapid transit Line 3.
He also said Bursa’s solid trading performance against the backdrop of stable economic growth and inflation rates would lend support to sentiment going forward.
“Although we are recording a downward pattern in the first 18 days of 2019, losses on Bursa (5.2 per cent) is relatively lower compared to our neighbours, Thailand and Singapore, at more than 10 per cent.
“This means we are trading in a defensive stock market and our FBM KLCI still resilient. I am optimistic the current uptrend will continue,” he told Bernama.
He said the support and resistance levels are now located at 1,670 and 1,700.
For the week just ended, the local bourse recorded a volatile trading pattern, mainly influenced by external factors such as China’s stimulus announcement, trade talks between China and the United States scheduled in Washington at the end of this month, as well as fresh news of the United Kingdom’s plan to exit the European Union.
On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the benchmark FBM KLCI settled nine points higher at 1,692.22.
The FBM Emas Index was 86.33 points firmer at 11,704.36, the FBMT 100 Index increased 82.77 points to 11,583.99, the FBM Emas Shariah Index advanced 60.26 points to 11,627.73, the FBM 70 surged 186.18 points to 13,777.56 and the FBM Ace Index added 11.44 points to 4,469.54.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index soared 112.62 points to 17,528.25, the Plantation Index rose 83.40 points to 7,201.04, but the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 1.21 points to 163.66.
On a Friday-to-Friday, the weekly turnover reduced slightly to 12.37 billion units worth RM9.32 billion against 14.17 billion units valued at RM11.30 billion.
Main Market volume decreased to 9.19 billion units worth RM8.75 billion versus 10.41 billion units valued at RM10.59 billion.
Warrants turnover narrowed to 1.83 billion units worth RM359.94 million from 1.90 billion units valued at RM368.88 million.
The ACE Market volume slid to 1.34 billion shares worth RM211.61 million against 1.85 billion shares valued at RM341.04 million. — Bernama
