21 Jan 2013 Kuala Lumpur Most Actives

Volume Close Change % Change Patimas 113,466,900 0.125 -0.010 -7.41 Daya 77,637,700 0.225 +0.010 +4.65 Axiata 45,079,700 6.300 -0.340 -5.12 TMS 44,404,600 0.085 unch unch KAsset 43,475,600 0.085 -0.025 -22.73 Tiger 21,288,600 0.305 -0.005 -1.61 MayBank 20,813,500 8.860 -0.140 -1.56 D.B.E. 20,578,000 0.080 -0.005 -5.88 CIMB 20,392,500 7.240 -0.340 -4.49 Astro 20,369,900 2.800 -0.100 -3.45 KNM 20,113,400 0.495 -0.040 -7.48 Itronic 19,276,500 0.515 +0.010 +1.98 Glotec 18,220,900 0.070 unch unch Kbunai 17,963,200 0.115 -0.005 -4.17 Mtronic 16,232,400 0.110 -0.005 -4.35 AMedia 15,587,500 0.180 -0.015 -7.69 AirAsia 15,488,500 2.850 -0.100 -3.39 Ircb 15,089,700 0.155 +0.015 +10.71 UEMLand 14,985,100 2.180 -0.110 -4.80 Sime 14,974,700 9.220 -0.170 -1.81 Scomi 13,556,300 0.355 -0.020 -5.33 SkPetro 12,657,200 2.870 -0.090 -3.04 DiGi 12,463,500 4.930 -0.210 -4.09 Perisai 11,225,100 1.030 -0.080 -7.21 Tebrau 11,164,000 0.815 -0.055 -6.32 Flonic 11,061,500 0.085 -0.005 -5.56 Trinity 10,965,100 0.050 +0.005 +11.11 Maxis 10,874,300 6.420 -0.120 -1.83 MAS 10,720,800 0.695 -0.025 -3.47 Tenaga 10,681,400 6.900 -0.090 -1.29 DRBHICOM 10,604,300 2.590 -0.090 -3.36 Luster 10,585,500 0.105 -0.005 -4.55 Dialog 9,905,900 2.370 -0.050 -2.07 THHeavy 9,894,700 0.505 -0.025 -4.72 PbBank 9,371,400 15.800 -0.340 -2.11 Alam 9,319,900 0.825 -0.055 -6.25 MRCB 9,300,500 1.470 -0.100 -6.37 ETITech 9,169,400 0.060 -0.010 -14.29 FastTrack 8,577,000 0.095 unch unch TechnoDex 8,513,800 0.135 +0.015 +12.50 AGlobal 8,475,700 0.075 unch unch YTL 8,202,300 1.760 -0.040 -2.22 Telekom 8,014,100 5.580 -0.020 -0.36 TMCLife 8,011,300 0.400 -0.005 -1.23 Takaso 7,981,900 0.225 -0.015 -6.25 MKLand 7,357,900 0.320 -0.025 -7.25 P.A. 7,182,100 0.130 -0.005 -3.70 JCY 7,117,900 0.620 -0.035 -5.34 DSCSol 7,040,500 0.100 -0.010 -9.09 Perdana 6,815,400 1.170 -0.070 -5.65

10 Things You Need To Know Before The Opening Bell

Mamta Badkar

 Jan. 18, 2013

Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Good morning. Here's what you need to know.

• Asian markets were higher in overnight trading with the Nikkei up 2.86 percent on reports that the central bank and ministry of Finance are talking about cooperating more on policy. The Shanghai Composite was up 1.41 percent. Europe is mixed and U.S. futures are flat.

• Chinese Q4 GDP beat expectations rising 7.9 percent year-over-year (YoY). Bank of America's Ting Lu wrote that policymakers are unlikely to change stimulus. Industrial production in December was up 10.3 percent YoY. This added to signs that the economy is recovering. 

• China also released its 2012 fixed asset investment (FAI) reading which eased to 20.6 percent. This is being boosted by Beijing's plans to speed up urbanization. Meanwhile, retail sales were up 15.2 percent. Electricity consumption was up 5.5 percent on the year.

• General Electric profits were up 7.5 percent beating expectations. The company reported fourth quarter earnings of $0.38 per share on revenue of $39.33 billion. This reflects CEO Jeff Immelt's focus on the energy equipment business. 

• 53 percent of Americans think the failure to extend the debt limit, and a resulting default, will leave the country facing a major economic crisis, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll. Meanwhile, Republican leaders have said the may temporarily extend the debt limit to avoid default. 

• In more earnings news, Schlumberger beat expectations when it reported Q4 earnings of $1.08 per share, on revenue of $11.17 billion. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley is expected to report earnings of $0.29 per share.

• Consumer sentiment data for January will up at 9:55 a.m. ET. Analysts polled by Bloomberg are look for the sentiment index level to fall to 75.

• UK retail sales declined 0.1 percent month-over-month, but were up 0.3 percent on the year. This missed expectations of a 0.2 percent monthly rise, and year-over-year rise of one percent.
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• 22 foreign hostages were unaccounted for on Friday, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, their captors have threatened to attack energy installations after Algerian forces entered a desert gas plant to free hundreds of captives.
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• In a 90-minute interview with Oprah last night, Lance Armstrong's confessed that he started cheating in the mid-1990s, and took EPO - a performance enhancing drug, blood transfusions, and testosterone until 2005. He also denied former teammate Tyler Hamilton's story that he tested positive at the 2001 Tour de Suisse and covered it up.

STOCKS SURGE, YEN TANKS: Here's What You Need To Know

Sam Ro

 Jan. 17, 2013

kfwk_lobo / Flickr

Markets hit new highs today in the wake of some strong economic data.

First the scoreboard:

Dow: 13,596, +84.7, +0.6 percent

S&P 500: 1,480, +8.3, +0.5 percent

NASDAQ: 3,136, +18.4, +0.5 percent

And now the top stories:

• The bullish housing story continues to get more exciting.  Housing starts surged 12.1 percent in December to 954,000 at an annualized rate. Economists expected starts to rise just 3.3 percent to 890,000.  November housing starts were revised down to 851,000 from a prior reading of 861,000.

• According to RealtyTrac, foreclosure filings plunged to a 6-year low in December.  One in every 810 homes received a foreclosure filing during the month.  In 2012, one in every 72 homes received a foreclosure filing.  Florida was the worst state with one in every 32 homes receiving a filing.

• Initial jobless claims plunged to 335k last week, which was much better than the 369k reading economists were looking for.  However, some economists were quick to cry foul. "However, the claims data can be very volatile around the turn of the year and the Department of Labor indicated that at least some of this most recent drop may have been due to an “adjustment issue,” so it is likely not a very reliable indicator for the labor market," wrote JP Morgan's Daniel Silver. "It may take a few more weeks until we can get a clean read on the labor market from the claims numbers."

• On the earnings front, Citigroup and Bank of America both announced their Q4 financial results.  Citi's earnings fell short of expectations.  While Bank of America appeared to report earnings in line with expectations, the stock nevertheless sold off.

• The yen tanked today, extending the hottest currency trade in the world.  In fact, it briefly fell to 90 yen per dollar for the first time since June 2010.  Earlier today, Reuters reported that the Bank of Japan was considering open-ended quantitative easing in its effort to weaken the currency, spur inflation, and heat up the economy.

• Intel's Q4 earnings announcement leaked minutes before the closing bell.  Shares spiked after the chip giant reported what appeared to be better-than-expected earnings.

10 Things You Need To Know Before The Opening Bell

Mamta Badkar

 Jan. 17, 2013

Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for 20th Century Fox

Good morning. Here's what you need to know.

• Asian markets were mixed in overnight trading with the Shanghai Composite off 1.06 percent. The decline in Chinese stocks was led by financial and industrial companies. Europe is mostly higher and U.S. futures are drifting higher.

• In earnings news, Bank of America reported earnings of $0.03 per share, on adjusted revenue of $19.61 billion dollars, with revenue missing expectations. The bank had 14,601 fewer employees at the end of 2012, compared to a year ago.

• Meanwhile, Citigroup missed expectations when it reported earnings of $0.69 per share, on revenue of $18.66 billion. Net interest margin expanded to 2.93 percent. The stock is down 2.5 percent in pre-market trading. 

• The Spanish Treasury auctioned €4.5 billion of bonds maturing in 2015, 2018, and 2041, meeting the top end of its target. Borrowing costs declined at the auction.

• Reports for December housing starts for and initial jobless claims will be out at 8:30 a.m. ET. Consensus is for starts to rise to a pace of 887,000  and for initial claims to to fall to 368K. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Fed Survey for January is out at 10 a.m. ET. Consensus is for the general business conditions index to decline to 6.

• Singapore's non-oil domestic exports fell 16.3 percent year-over-year in December, the most since October 2011. For the year, exports were up 0.5 percent.

• Boeing is down nearly 3 percent in pre-market trading. And Air India became the latest airline to ground its 787 flights. This comes after the FAA forced American airlines to ground their fleet until the battery related problems were investigated. Japan and Europe have already grounded their 787 Dreamliners.

• Rio Tinto's CEO Tom Albanese has exited the company as the company announced a $14 billion writedown in connection with his two most significant acquisitions, Mozambican coal and the Alcan aluminum group, according to Reuters. 

• Some hostages have escaped from a remote Algerian gas plant where they were being held hostage by Islamist gunmen calling for a stop to a French military campaign against Mali.

• The Australian economy shed 5,500 jobs in December, missing analyst estimates for a 4,000 gain. The unemployment rate climbed to 5.4 percent. For the year, Australia added 148,300 payrolls last year after a 49,800 gain in 2011 making it the two worst years for job growth since 1997, according to Bloomberg.

15 Jan 2013 Kuala Lumpur Most Actives

Volume Close Change % Change Patimas 144,269,600 0.180 +0.020 +12.50 D.B.E. 38,706,800 0.095 unch unch ETITech 28,108,000 0.070 +0.005 +7.69 Flonic 21,637,500 0.090 unch unch DSCSol 21,412,800 0.115 -0.015 -11.54 Axiata 20,091,200 6.680 -0.010 -0.15 Glotec 17,695,400 0.075 +0.005 +7.14 Alam 17,613,900 0.855 +0.055 +6.87 IngenCo 17,004,700 0.095 +0.005 +5.56 Luster 16,890,200 0.110 unch unch IRCB 16,885,000 0.165 +0.010 +6.45 Kbunai 16,882,100 0.120 -0.005 -4.00 SKPetro 15,225,600 3.000 +0.010 +0.33 Nextnat 15,031,500 0.100 unch unch DRB-HICOM 12,722,700 2.640 -0.010 -0.38 Tiger 12,650,300 0.315 +0.005 +1.61 UEMLand 11,824,900 2.200 +0.050 +2.33 Tenaga 11,717,900 6.940 +0.010 +0.14 Takaso 11,147,100 0.250 +0.005 +2.04 YTL 9,995,600 1.810 unch unch Maxis 9,679,400 6.560 unch unch Glotronic 9,470,400 1.800 +0.100 +5.88 CIMB 9,369,800 7.670 unch unch Inc Ken 9,266,700 0.910 +0.040 +4.60  Telekom 8,840,500 5.740 -0.050 -0.86 HLCap 8,830,400 1.780 +0.360 +25.35 IRIS 8,421,900 0.170 -0.005 -2.86 DiGi 8,022,500 5.190 +0.010 +0.19 FGV 7,719,400 4.600 -0.010 -0.22 AMedia 7,235,500 0.190 unch unch Hubline 7,227,300 0.060 unch unch Gamuda 6,948,700 3.800 +0.070 +1.88 Astro 6,290,400 3.000 unch unch Scomi 6,202,900 0.360 unch unch MayBank 6,172,100 9.040 +0.010 +0.11 Sime 6,094,300 9.590 +0.030 +0.31 KAssets 5,882,500 2.660 +0.010 +0.38 AMMB 5,847,500 6.640 unch unch XOX 5,616,000 0.180 -0.010 -5.26 KNM 5,470,400 0.515 -0.005 -0.96 AT 5,377,100 0.160 +0.010 +6.67 Utopia 5,326,300 0.075 unch unch GasM 5,258,500 2.670 +0.030 +1.14 SPSetia 5,150,500 3.230 +0.070 +2.22 TMS 5,145,400 0.080 unch unch Kulim 4,823,400 3.770 +0.010 +0.27 Jadi 4,394,500 0.120 +0.005 +4.35 Padini 4,360,800 1.820 unch unch Perisai 4,285,100 1.080 -0.010 -0.92 IHH 4,102,700 3.460 unch unch

STOCKS RISE, APPLE CRUMBLES: Here's What You Need To Know

Sam Ro

 Jan. 15, 2013

adactio / Flickr

Stocks continue to make extremely modest moves.

First the scoreboard:

Dow: 13,534, +27.5, +0.2 percent

S&P 500: 1,472, +1.6, +0.1 percent

NASDAQ: 3,110, -6.7, -0.2 percent

And now the top stories:

• Shares of Apple fell 3 percent today.  This was also the first time the stock closed below $500 in a while.  The price move was also major drag on the stock market indices.  Apple continues to be slammed on reports of supply order reductions.  Nomura analysts Stuart Jeffrey and Woo Jin Ho reportedly slashed their price target on the stock to $530, which is obviously above today's closing price of $485.

• Retail sales jumped 0.5 percent in December, which was much better than the 0.2 percent gain economists were looking for.  Excluding autos and gas, sales jumped 0.6 percent, which was also much stronger than expected.

• The latest reading of producer prices showed that inflation remains low and slow. Prices fell 0.2 percent from November.  Economists were looking for a decline of 0.1 percent.  Excluding food and energy prices, prices climbed by just 0.1 percent, which was lower than the 0.2 percent climb forecasted.

• On a year-over-year basis, producer prices were up 1.3 percent.  During the December meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee, the Fed said that it would use unemployment rate and inflation rate thresholds to help guide monetary policy. The inflation rate threshold was 2.5 percent. This puts today's low PPI numbers into some context.

• National home prices jumped 7.4 percent year-over-year in November, reported CoreLogic.  The was the biggest increase since May 2006.  “We still have a long way to go to return to 2005-2006 levels, but all signals currently point to a progressive stabilization of the housing market and the positive trend in home price appreciation to continue into 2013," said Anand Nallathambi, CEO of CoreLogic.

14 Jan 2013 Kuala Lumpur Most Actives

Volume Close Change % Change Patimas 158,107,700 0.160 +0.015 +10.34 D.B.E. 55,252,300 0.095 +0.010 +11.76 DSCSol 53,959,000 0.130 -0.015 -10.34 Takaso 41,474,900 0.245 -0.025 -9.26 Luster 33,500,600 0.110 +0.005 +4.76 ETITech 31,383,200 0.065 unch unch Kbunai 26,422,300 0.125 +0.005 +4.17 Tiger 24,852,100 0.310 -0.005 -1.59 Scomi 15,709,700 0.360 +0.010 +2.86 IRCB 12,863,600 0.155 +0.020 +14.81 KNM 12,192,700 0.520 +0.010 +1.96 Maxis 12,159,300 6.560 +0.010 +0.15 TMCLife 11,322,000 0.415 +0.030 +7.79 Itronic 10,711,800 0.390 +0.030 +8.33 Hubline 10,171,100 0.060 unch unch Axiata 9,976,800 6.690 unch unch TMS 9,508,800 0.080 unch unch YTL 8,485,700 1.810 unch unch MayBank 8,234,500 9.030 +0.030 +0.33 NICORP 7,927,400 0.175 +0.005 +2.94 Tenaga 7,843,700 6.930 +0.010 +0.14 Tebrau 7,278,900 0.790 +0.010 +1.28 Telekom 7,131,300 5.790 -0.030 -0.52 SKPetro 6,951,100 2.990 -0.010 -0.33 InchKen 6,946,400 0.870 +0.030 +3.57 Nextnat 6,814,000 0.100 -0.005 -4.76 REDtone 6,585,400 0.445 +0.030 +7.23 UEMLand 6,398,500 2.150 unch unch KrisAssets 6,374,200 2.650 unch unch FGV 6,255,100 4.610 +0.030 +0.66 AMedia 5,934,500 0.190 -0.005 -2.56 RGB 5,848,500 0.090 +0.005 +5.88 Sime 5,810,600 9.560 -0.030 -0.31 Privasia 5,781,100 0.080 +0.005 +6.67 CIMB 5,232,800 7.670 +0.010 +0.13 YTLPowr 5,101,600 1.660 +0.060 +3.75 DRB-HICOM 5,049,100 2.650 unch unch XOX 4,861,800 0.190 unch unch P.A. 4,856,800 0.130 -0.005 -3.70 DiGi 4,655,300 5.180 +0.010 +0.19 Compugt 4,643,200 0.085 +0.005 +6.25 Alam 4,325,600 0.800 +0.005 +0.63 GenM 4,305,000 3.560 -0.050 -1.39 Mtronic 4,196,900 0.120 +0.005 +4.35 Dialog 4,158,500 2.410 -0.010 -0.41 IHH 4,091,900 3.460 +0.010 +0.29 THHeavy 3,883,300 0.525 -0.010 -1.87 MKLand 3,749,000 0.335 +0.005 +1.52 Sealink 3,710,500 0.405 +0.015 +3.85 Perisai 3,591,500 1.090 -0.010 -0.91