KLCI hits its best-ever level

KLCI hits its best-ever level (STAR 29-10-2007)
Index poised to move into uncharted territory

Stock Market Signals: A weekly column on Bursa Malaysia's performance and outlook by G.M. Teoh
THE Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) rallied and established fresh historic highs in late trading after an aggressive rebound from an earlier sell-off on Monday. It closed at its best-ever level.

The sudden turnaround in sentiment is attributed to expectation of another round of interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve, record performance in the Hang Seng Index and most of the Asian exchanges, and recovery in the Dow Jones Industrial Index.

Crude oil prices that hiked to a record US$92.22 per barrel last Friday and renewed tension in the Middle East had no negative impact on the market last week.
At this juncture, traders are not too sure whether record crude oil prices would bring on worldwide inflation, topple the consumers, topple the economy and deal the death blow to stock markets worldwide.

Last week, the KLCI rebounded from an intra-week low of 1,339.36 points and rallied in late trading on Friday to close the week with minor gains at 1,398.35 points, up 28.18 points or 2.06% from the previous week.
Most of the main index-linked stocks ended the week with impressive gains and lifted the KLCI to fresh historic highs.

Maybank, IOI Corp, Public Bank, MISC, Genting, Digi.Com, Plus Expressways, KL Kepong, RHB Capital and MMC Corp all close with minor advances and contributed a combined 21.52 points to the index.
Bumiputra-Commerce and Tenaga Nasional ended up in the minus column and took away a combined 2.10 points from the index. Petronas Gas closed unchanged.

Weekly volume on the KLCI improved to 897.73 from 729.92 million shares the previous week. Daily average volume dipped to 179.55 million shares from 182.40 million shares previously.
The weekly candlestick chart ended the week constructive and called for the resumption of the upward momentum. A big white bullish candle occurred on Friday. This is generally considered a bullish pattern as prices closed significantly higher than they opened. The appearance of such a candle during a breakout above historic highs adds credibility to the upward breakout.

During the June-July period, the KLCI made numerous failed attempts to vault the strong psychological barrier at 1,400.00 points. With the chart outlook now constructive following Friday’s rally, the prospect of the index pushing above this chart hurdle is good this week.

Chart support for this week is adjusted higher to the 1,380.00-1,375.00 level. The current positive setting would fizzle if this level is violated.
A successful lift above 1,400.00 would take values higher to test its next chart resistance at the 1,422.00-1,430.00 level.

The daily technical indicators ended the week positive and signalled that the newly developed upward momentum could expand.
The daily stochastic triggered the short-term buy signal on Oct 24 and remained positive on Friday’s close. The oscillators per cent K and D ended the week sharply higher at 82.49% and 59.27% respectively.

The daily Money Flow Index (MFI) rose from the week’s low of 21.31 points on Oct 17 and finished sharply higher in the overbought zones at 83.13 points. Analysis of the MFI indicates that strong accumulation occurred last week.
The main trend-tracker 3- and 7-week exponentially smoothed moving average price lines (ESA lines) remained in bullish divergence and showed that the mains trend was still bullish.

Meanwhile, the short-term trend tracker 3- and 7-day ESA lines gave the buy signal on Oct 25 and remained constructive on Friday’s close. The 5-day RSI advanced from an oversold position and ended the week sharply higher at 77.29 points and signalled that things were slightly toppish

KWSP perkenal simpanan asas setiap pencarum Februari 2008

Oleh: SAIFULIZAM MOHAMAD

KUALA LUMPUR 22 Okt. – Mulai 1 Februari tahun depan, 11.4 juta pencarum Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) perlu mempunyai simpanan asas yang ditentukan mengikut umur masing-masing.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif KWSP, Datuk Azlan Zainol berkata, simpanan asas tersebut merupakan jumlah simpanan yang terdapat di dalam Akaun 1 setiap pencarum.
Beliau berkata, tujuan konsep itu diperkenalkan bagi membolehkan pencarum mempunyai simpanan minimum RM120,000 sebaik sahaja mereka mencapai umur persaraan 55 tahun.

‘‘Berdasarkan jangkaan, jumlah ini dapat menampung bayaran bulanan kepada pencarum sebanyak RM500 bagi tempoh 20 tahun iaitu bermula dari usia bersara pencarum hingga umur mereka mencecah 75 tahun.
‘‘Selain itu penetapan simpanan asas ini juga akan dijadikan panduan kepada kita untuk memastikan simpanan KWSP tidak boleh dikeluarkan sehingga pencarum berusia 55 tahun kecuali untuk tujuan tertentu,’’ katanya
Beliau berkata demikian pada sidang akhbar bagi mengumumkan pelaksanaan inisiatif strategik yang berkonsepkan ‘bukan hanya simpanan’ dalam usaha meningkatkan simpanan pencarum.

Pelaksanaan simpanan asas bagi setiap pencarum itu merupakan salah satu perkara yang terkandung di dalam inisiatif tersebut.
Bagaimanapun semua skim pengeluaran KWSP yang ada sekarang termasuk pembiayaan perumahan, pendidikan dan penyakit kritikal tidak berubah dengan pelaksanaan inisiatif strategik itu.

Azlan berkata, semua pengeluaran akan bergantung kepada jumlah simpanan asas yang telah ditetapkan mengikut umur pencarum.
‘‘Bagi yang berumur 25 tahun, simpanan asasnya adalah sebanyak RM9,000, umur 30 tahun (RM18,000), umur 35 tahun (RM29,000) dan umur 40 tahun (RM44,000).
‘‘Bagi mereka yang berumur 45 tahun, simpanan asasnya ialah (RM64,000), umur 50 tahun (RM90,000) dan umur 55 tahun (RM120,000),’’ jelasnya sambil menambah kuantum simpanan asas akan dikaji setiap lima tahun.

Sehubungan itu beliau berkata, mereka yang mempunyai lebihan daripada simpanan asas masing-masing sahaja dibenarkan mengeluarkan caruman mereka untuk tujuan pelaburan.
‘‘Sebagai contoh seorang pencarum berusia 25 tahun dan jumlah simpanan asasnya adalah lebih RM9,000, katakanlah RM12,000. Lebihan RM3,000 itu boleh dikeluarkan untuk dilaburkan dalam produk dan institusi yang diluluskan.
‘‘Berbanding skim pelaburan sedia ada sebenarnya konsep yang diperkenalkan ini menggalakkan pencarum melabur pada usia muda,’’ ujarnya.
Dalam pada itu beliau berkata, penetapan simpanan asas juga akan digunakan untuk menentukan sama ada pencarum layak mengeluarkan simpanan pada usia 50 tahun atau sebaliknya.

Beliau berkata, perubahan mengeluarkan simpanan pada usia 50 tahun itu akan dilaksanakan sepenuhnya pada 1 Januari 2013.
‘‘Mulai tahun tersebut hanya ahli yang mempunyai simpanan asas lebih RM90,000 dalam Akaun 1 sahaja dibenarkan mengeluarkan semua simpanan dalam Akaun 2.
‘‘Berbanding sekarang, ahli boleh mengeluarkan satu pertiga simpanan dari Akaun 2 sebaik sahaja mereka mencapai umur 50 tahun tanpa mengira jumlah keseluruhan wang yang terdapat dalam akaun KWSP masing-masing,’’ katanya.

Asian Markets Fall - 22/10/2007

Market down...good time to top up investment...can get more units

22-10-2007: Asian markets fall in volatile trade

KUALA LUMPUR: Asian markets including Bursa Malaysia fell in the morning session on Oct 22, with South Korea among the worst hit, in volatile trade as investors’ sentiment was hurt by the weak Wall Street last Friday. At 12.30pm, the KLCI was down 25.08 points or 1.83% to 1,345.09, but off the early low of 1,339. The FBMEmas lost 187.59 points to 9,060.08 and the Second Board Index lost 1.7 points to 106.48. The KLCI futures fell 37 points to 1,320.5. Asian markets fell with South Korea’s Kospi down 3.18% or 62.61 point to 1,907.49. Japan’s Nikkei 225 down 2.58% to 16,380.63 and Singapore’s Straits Times Index lost 2.14% to 3,667.66. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 2.53% to 28,720.83 and Shanghai’s A Share Index fell 0.37% to 6,084.39.

Turnover was 1.03 billion shares valued at RM887.54 million. Losers hammered gainers 791 to 71 while 105 counters were unchanged.
Light crude oil was off its record high of US$90 and it was trading at US$87.62 per barrel for November delivery .The ringgit was quoted at RM3.374 to US$1.
Analysts said the correction in the US markets was long overdue and they expected the markets would continue to be volatile.

Among the heavyweights, Maybank fell 30 sen to RM11.20, Tenaga 20 sen lower to RM9.15 and Telekom 10 sen lower to RM10.10. Bursa fell 60 sen to RM13.20 while Kossan gave up most of its gains from last Friday, down 58 sen to RM4.22.
Crude palm oil futures fell RM45 to RM2,815 per tonne for November delivery and lost RM54 to RM2,711 per tonne for January. KL Kepong fell 40 sen to RM13.90, IOI Corp 35 sen to RM6.30. Parkson fell 35 sen to RM7.20 while Naim, UMW and Public Bank foreign fell 30 sen each to RM5.64, RM14 and RM10.90 respectively. DiGi rose 20 sen to RM23.20 after delivering a strong set of results. RHB Cap, VADS and Gamuda added 20 sen each to RM6, RM5.70 and RM9.20 respectively.

Call warrants of Hong Kong listed stocks rose in very active trade. CHCBC-C1 rose nine sen to 19 sen. It was the most active with 68.7 million shares done.
Financially-distressed Megan Media rose 5.5 sen to 16 sen and the warrants 7.5 sen to 13 sen in very active trade.

Who want to be a millionaire

Dalam suasana aidilfitri nie saya berjumpa ramai kawan2 lama untuk saling bermaafan dan menziarahi.. mereka banyak berceritakan soal kerja, kereta, kawin lagi dan gosip2panas.. tapi apa yang menarik perhatian saya adalah cerita ataupun impian mereka tentang rumah besar, kereta besar, duit besar tapi bini jer yang nak solid..

oleh itu saya hanya bertanyakan kepada mereka 2 soalan iaitu:

1 - mahukah anda mempunyai sekurang-kurangnya RM1,000,000 (sejuta) dalam akaun anda pada suatu hari nanti dengan hanya menyimpan sebulan RM100??

2 - adakah anda ingin tahu bagaimana??

sekiranya kedua-dua jawapan untuk soalan diatas adalah YA, anda bersedia menjadi jutawan.. untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut boleh email/ym saya..

ASEAN growth potential

The South-East Asian region has forged ahead to grow at a robust pace in recent years. With a combined population base of 573 million people, the region’s economies have vast growth prospects given their strong manufacturing base, growing savings rates, favourable demographics and large consumer market. In addition, the South-East Asian region is strategically located between the emerging giants of China and India.

Grouped together under the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprising Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei and Cambodia, ASEAN is among the fastest growing regions in the world with nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth averaging 9% annually since 2000. In per capita GDP terms, ASEAN residents have enjoyed a nominal growth of 6.8% per annum over the past six years, exceeding the average global per capita GDP growth of 5.4% per annum over the same period.

Factors contributing to ASEAN’s economic growth

There are several factors contributing to the success of ASEAN economies.

First, these economies have benefited from significant investments from Japanese, European and American multinational corporations in the past 25 years. As a result, the ASEAN economies have developed into globally competitive manufacturers of electronics, machinery, chemical, textiles and clothing products.
Second, exports, which account for 63% of the region’s combined GDP in 2006, have been a major source of growth for the ASEAN economies. Singapore and Malaysia are among the most export-driven economies with exports contributing 206% and 125% to their GDPs respectively. ASEAN’s export prowess is attributable to the relatively low cost of labour, competitive currencies and high skills base which have enabled ASEAN exporters to move up the value-added chain in manufacturing.

Third, ASEAN nations have benefited from increased trading activities with China. Total trade between the six largest ASEAN nations and China rose sharply from 5.2% of GDP in 2000 to 14.5% of GDP in 2006. The Chinese market has also overtaken the U.S. market as the final destination for Asia’s electronics exports in recent years. Lastly, thanks to high household savings, ASEAN economies enjoy high national savings rates with the savings to GDP ratio ranging from 26.6% to 46.2%.

Growth prospects for ASEAN

The total value of ASEAN’s GDP is estimated at US$1 trillion and accounts for about 11% of the Far-East region’s aggregate nominal GDP in 2006. This is a commendable achievement given the large contributions from the region’s economic giants of China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea.

ASEAN has excellent opportunities for further economic growth given the relatively low base of the region’s per capita income, favourable demographics and large and growing population, which exceeds a quarter of the Far-East region’s combined population. In addition, the relatively low ratio of domestic demand to GDP coupled with high savings rates suggests that consumer spending in ASEAN is poised to grow rapidly in tandem with high disposable incomes and robust economic growth in the years ahead. GDP growth for ASEAN economies is expected to range from 4.5% to 8.4% in 2007/2008.

Propelled by a booming property market and construction of two key integrated resorts, the region’s most developed economy Singapore is expected to enjoy resilient GDP growth of about 6% in 2007/2008. Across the causeway, Malaysia’s GDP growth is projected to sustain at 5.8% to 6.0% in 2007/2008 on the back of fiscal stimulus from the 9th Malaysian Plan and robust consumer spending. Indonesia’s projected growth of 5.6% to 6% in 2007/2008 is expected to be supported by increased public and private expenditures in an environment of declining interest rates. Resilient domestic demand will help the Thai economy to grow at 4.5% to 4.8% in 2007/2008. Driven by stronger industrial expansion, buoyant consumer spending and investment, Vietnam's GDP growth is set to expand at above 8% in 2007/2008.
ASEAN currencies are underpinned by strong trade surpluses, manageable inflationary pressures and sustained economic growth. The Thai baht has outperformed its South-East Asian peers with a year-to-date gain of 9.9% against the U.S. dollar. Other ASEAN currencies such as the Singapore dollar are supported by stable inflationary pressures and resilient economic growth.

Outlook for ASEAN stockmarkets

In the past four years, ASEAN equity markets have trended up following a rebound in global economic growth and the end of the SARS epidemic in 2003. From 2004 to 31 August 2007, the Vietnam, Indonesia and Philippines markets registered superb total returns of 447%, 217.2% and 133.3% respectively. The Indonesian and Vietnam stockmarkets have continued to outperform this year with returns of about 21% respectively up to 31 August 2007.

Supported by reasonable valuations, stable or declining interest rates and sustained earnings growth amidst an environment of high domestic liquidity, the ASEAN markets offer attractive returns for medium-to long-term investors.

Selamat Hari Raya

Salam Raya dari Tuah Arbaein

Your job

Success - "knowing the right people," "being in the right place at the right time," and "using the right tools" - Anthony Robbins

Your career is not everything; your life is. But then, what is life without a career or a career without a life?

1. You are always on your own. Even if you work for a big company, you will always be on your own. Companies aren't people. They're things and they don't have feelings. If you are expecting the company to "take care of you or "do the right thing", you'll be often disappointed. There are no strong bonds in a company. No one cares more about your career than you do. Remember that, and don't expect the company to take care of you.

2. Certain jobs fit certain people best. You do have special gifts that fit you for some, disqualify you for others. Take time to assess your skills, temperament and aptitude in depth.

3. Careers are short-term. Your present job can end anytime, even if you own the company! Therefore, think short term. Don't take your present career for granted. Someone once described a consultant as a person who wakes up every morning unemployed. You should feel the same way. Wake up every morning feeling unemployed so that you'll appreciate your present job more and figure out what you're going to do next. Always have a "Plan B." (No kidding!!)

4. It's more important to be a "people person" than an "achievement-oriented person who always win at the cost of others. People skills are more important than technical skills. Even in technical jobs, you have to deal with someone. The average performer who are easier to get along with last longer in his job.

5. What you accomplish today will be your calling card tomorrow. Your accomplishments will determine your marketability. In marketing yourself, it's the results that count. A soccer forward who scores in every game is easier to market than one who doesn't. So make sure you're contributing something substantial and measurable every day. And make sure you keep a written record of your results, in case you forget!

6. If you lose your job, 80% of your marketing for a new position is already done. That's right. Your reputation, results, accomplishments, people skills, contributions, friendships are all a matter of record. If you've been a contributor, if you've been kind to others and easy-to-work-with, you'll be in better demand. If not, you won't. Nobody can create friendship for you if you haven't created it for yourself.

7. Changing fields, industries, and functional specialties is difficult. The more difficult it is, the bigger the change will be. Therefore, choose your career path carefully. As management expert Peter Drucker says, "The best way to predict the future is to plan it."

8. If you're fired or laid off, don't sue your former employer. Ask yourself why you didn't see it coming; or if you did see it coming. Ask yourself why you didn't do something about it. Figure out your part in causing the problem. Then set about creating a new, better life for yourself. There is a better life in your future.

9. Don't stay in a job you hate. Hating your job can kill you.

10. Success is difficult. If success were easy, everyone would be successful.

11. There's a special place for everyone. You can create the kind of future you want.

12. The workplace is fun and challenging. It can also be cruel and heartless. It rewards effort and planning, but tends to punish indifference and lack of preparation. Those who don't manage their careers, who just let things happen - often end up in painful, dead-end jobs and lifestyles.

13. You are in full control of your own future. No one can deny you a happy life if you decide to plan it and work for it. No one can stop you from becoming successful, but yourself.

14. It's never too late for a new beginning.

15. Align yourself with winners. Hang around with winners. Success really does rub off from others. "If you keep doing what you have always been doing, you're going to get what you've always gotten"

Confidence returns to most markets

Wednesday October 3, 2007 (STAR)

PETALING JAYA: Investor confidence appears to have returned in most stock markets after the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a record 14,088 points on Monday.
This is following suggestions from former US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan and Citigroup Inc that the credit slump might be coming to an end.
The Hong Kong and Singapore bourses continued to reach all-time highs yesterday, with the Hang Seng Index closing up a whopping 3.9% to 28,200 points and the Straits Times Index jumping more than 1% to 3,794 points.
The KL Composite Index (KLCI), meanwhile, rose for the fifth consecutive trading day, surging 21.7 points, or 1.6%, to 1,368.7 points while the second board index gained 0.34-point to 106.28.
Market breadth was healthy, as gainers outnumbered losers 605 to 253 while 284 counters were unchanged. About 1.6 billion shares valued at some RM2.9bil changed hands.
Buying was selective and based on themes like oil and gas, plantation, construction and property-based companies.


Among the top gainers were IOI Properties Bhd and Malaysian Airline System Bhd, which jumped RM1 and 75 sen to RM13.90 and RM5.30 respectively.
MIMB Investment Bank head of equity research Pong Teng Siew said liquidity had returned to the market although not broadly, thanks to buying by the local funds.
Meanwhile, he said, markets in Brazil, India and China continued to attract the interest of foreign funds.
“Asia has little exposure to the US sub-prime mortgage market and still has great growth stories,” he said, noting that credit growth remained strong in Asian countries. He said their monetary systems were insulated from the US' credit woes compared with European banks, which had a greater degree of exposure.
Pong is optimistic that the KLCI looked set to breach a new high of more than 1,400 points by year-end.
Nonetheless, investors should exercise caution towards year-end, as fund managers were unlikely to maintain the buying momentum for long, he said.
“Fund managers may take a break and not be overly aggressive as it would make their job of outperforming in the following year more difficult,'' he added.
OSK Investment Bank head of research Kenny Yee said sentiment had definitely improved despite indications of lower earnings from international investment banks.
“Things are more visible and out in the open. The element of uncertainty has been lifted,” he said, adding that investors had already factored in the losses.
“There are no more surprises. As long the US economy does not fall into a recession, the situation is anticipated to remain stable,” Yee said.
TA Securities head of research Kaladher Govindan concurred, saying that market perception had changed as investors were now relieved that the sub-prime issue was not going to delay economic growth in the US.
“They can see the magnitude of the problem and expect a recovery soon,” he said, adding that it was only a matter of time that the KLCI would reach a new high like other regional bourses.
TA, he said, was maintaining its 12-month target of 1,520 points.