KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI started off the first trading day of the Rabbit Lunar New Year on Monday, Feb 7 on a positive note, extending its gains from last Wednesday in line with gains at regional markets following the firmer close at Wall Street last Friday.
Key Asian markets advanced on Monday, helped by a fall in the US jobless rate, according to Reuters.
The unemployment rate in the world's largest economy dropped to a 21-month low of 9 percent in January, bolstering hopes for a sustained recovery and helping the Nasdaq Composite Index reach a 3-year high, although fewer jobs than expected were added, it said.
Market players said buying on Monday was centred around major exporters' shares after the dollar gained against the yen on the back of the jobs data, and as many high tech companies posted stronger-than-expected corporate earnings last week, said Reuters.
The FBM KLCI rose 8.25 points to 1,540.07 at 10am, lifted by gains including at banking and index-linked PLANTATION [] stocks.
Gainers led losers by 359 to 156, while 221 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 805.66 million shares valued at RM437.17 million.
At the regional markets, the South Korean Kospi jumped 1.64% to 2,106.07, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.69% to 10,616.05, Singapore's Straits Times Index added 0.17% to 3,216.44 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index opened 0.1% higher at 23,923.33.
Meanwhile, China's stock markets remained closed for the Chinese New Year holidays and would resume traded on Feb 9.
RHB Research Institute Sdn Bhd said that after a year of strong economic recovery, albeit from a low 2009 base, there should be fewer earnings surprises this year, adding that it estimated 2011 normalised EPS growth for the FBM KLCI stocks to be around 15.8%, compared to 2010 of 24.6%.
The research house said it expects the outlook to be more challenging, and that it saw more difficult (or normalised) operating conditions including rising fuel and raw material costs, and potential new rules of engagement.
On the flip side, it said it also saw optimism for some sectors, e.g. due to new areas of business.
'Among the sectors that we like, including banks, plantation, timber, property, media and telecoms, we believe there is potential for upside to our current earnings forecasts, due to economic activity and improvement in productivity and efficiency.
'Although we have already factored in rising fuel and food costs into our earnings forecasts, we are concerned that there could be more downside in some sectors, arising from timing delays and changes to electricity costs,' it said in a note on Feb 7.
RHB Research said the positive earnings outlook should provide comfort to investors but wider concerns of inflation, and geopolitical issues have brought a more cautious undertone to the equity market.
'We believe news flow will continue to drive certain stocks e.g. in oil & gas, but we could also see profit-taking pressure on other cyclical and 'growth' stocks in the near term,' it said.
On Bursa Malaysia, the top gainer at mid-morning was KLK that added 46 sen to RM22.06; Guan Chong was up 28 sen to RM3.68, Mitra 16 sen to RM2.05, QL Resources and BHIC 14 sen each to RM5.99 and RM4.15, QSR Brands and Hong Leong Industries 13 sen each to RM5.72 and RM5.87, IOI Corporation and Heveaboard 12 sen each to RM5.87 and RM1.08, while HPI added 11 sen to RM2.76.
Among banks, Maybank rose eight sen to RM8.81, Public Bank four sen to RM13.48, AMMB three sen to RM6.62 while CIMB rose two sen to RM8.40.
Decliners in early trade included BAT, DFZ Capital, Tahps, Delloyd Ventures, Lafarge Malayan Cement and S P Setia.
Iris Corp was the most actively traded counter with 69/2 million shares done. The stock added 3.5 sen to 20.5 sen.
Other actives included Ho Wah Genting, Talam, Olympia, Jotech and'' Daya Materials.
Key Asian markets advanced on Monday, helped by a fall in the US jobless rate, according to Reuters.
The unemployment rate in the world's largest economy dropped to a 21-month low of 9 percent in January, bolstering hopes for a sustained recovery and helping the Nasdaq Composite Index reach a 3-year high, although fewer jobs than expected were added, it said.
Market players said buying on Monday was centred around major exporters' shares after the dollar gained against the yen on the back of the jobs data, and as many high tech companies posted stronger-than-expected corporate earnings last week, said Reuters.
The FBM KLCI rose 8.25 points to 1,540.07 at 10am, lifted by gains including at banking and index-linked PLANTATION [] stocks.
Gainers led losers by 359 to 156, while 221 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 805.66 million shares valued at RM437.17 million.
At the regional markets, the South Korean Kospi jumped 1.64% to 2,106.07, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.69% to 10,616.05, Singapore's Straits Times Index added 0.17% to 3,216.44 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index opened 0.1% higher at 23,923.33.
Meanwhile, China's stock markets remained closed for the Chinese New Year holidays and would resume traded on Feb 9.
RHB Research Institute Sdn Bhd said that after a year of strong economic recovery, albeit from a low 2009 base, there should be fewer earnings surprises this year, adding that it estimated 2011 normalised EPS growth for the FBM KLCI stocks to be around 15.8%, compared to 2010 of 24.6%.
The research house said it expects the outlook to be more challenging, and that it saw more difficult (or normalised) operating conditions including rising fuel and raw material costs, and potential new rules of engagement.
On the flip side, it said it also saw optimism for some sectors, e.g. due to new areas of business.
'Among the sectors that we like, including banks, plantation, timber, property, media and telecoms, we believe there is potential for upside to our current earnings forecasts, due to economic activity and improvement in productivity and efficiency.
'Although we have already factored in rising fuel and food costs into our earnings forecasts, we are concerned that there could be more downside in some sectors, arising from timing delays and changes to electricity costs,' it said in a note on Feb 7.
RHB Research said the positive earnings outlook should provide comfort to investors but wider concerns of inflation, and geopolitical issues have brought a more cautious undertone to the equity market.
'We believe news flow will continue to drive certain stocks e.g. in oil & gas, but we could also see profit-taking pressure on other cyclical and 'growth' stocks in the near term,' it said.
On Bursa Malaysia, the top gainer at mid-morning was KLK that added 46 sen to RM22.06; Guan Chong was up 28 sen to RM3.68, Mitra 16 sen to RM2.05, QL Resources and BHIC 14 sen each to RM5.99 and RM4.15, QSR Brands and Hong Leong Industries 13 sen each to RM5.72 and RM5.87, IOI Corporation and Heveaboard 12 sen each to RM5.87 and RM1.08, while HPI added 11 sen to RM2.76.
Among banks, Maybank rose eight sen to RM8.81, Public Bank four sen to RM13.48, AMMB three sen to RM6.62 while CIMB rose two sen to RM8.40.
Decliners in early trade included BAT, DFZ Capital, Tahps, Delloyd Ventures, Lafarge Malayan Cement and S P Setia.
Iris Corp was the most actively traded counter with 69/2 million shares done. The stock added 3.5 sen to 20.5 sen.
Other actives included Ho Wah Genting, Talam, Olympia, Jotech and'' Daya Materials.
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