Malaysia falls ahead of cenbank policy meeting; Thailand gains 1%

BENGALURU (Jan 23): Malaysian shares fell on Wednesday, underperforming other Southeast Asian markets ahead of a central bank policy meeting and December inflation data, while Thai stocks rose 1% with almost all sectors in positive territory.

Bank Negara Malaysia will likely keep its benchmark overnight interest rate unchanged at 3.25% at its policy review on Thursday, a Reuters poll showed, with the last move a year ago, when it raised the rate by 25 basis points.

The consumer price index likely rose 0.4% in December from a year earlier, a Reuters poll showed, slightly faster than the previous month.

The benchmark stock index snapped three straight sessions of gains and closed 0.8% lower, weighed down by the material and financial sectors.

Shares of Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd dropped 6.1%, while those of CIMB group Holdings Bhd fell 1.9%.

Among other losers, Singapore dropped 0.7% after data showed inflation rose more than expected in December.

The headline consumer price index rose 0.5% in December from a year earlier, higher than the 0.4% rise expected by economists in a Reuters poll and the 0.3% increase in November.

Financials and industrials were among the top losers with DBS Group Holdings Ltd shedding 1.6% and Hutchison Port Holdings Trust dipping 2%.

Philippine shares erased most of earlier losses to close slightly lower ahead of fourth-quarter GDP data.

A Reuters poll of 12 economists predicts the gross domestic product for the December quarter to have expanded by 6.2% from a year earlier, marginally up from July-September’s 6.1%, a three-year low.

Financial and consumer discretionary stocks were among the top losers with Jollibee Foods Corp declining 2.5% and Bank of the Philippine Islands shedding 2.1%.

Thai shares closed higher for a sixth straight session, buoyed by financials and telecoms.

Meanwhile, the central bank said the baht’s strength is in line with regional currencies, as the dollar has weakened.

The baht, Asia’s best performing currency, has appreciated about 2.6% against the dollar this year, hovering around its highest in more than eight months hit last week.

“Expectations of foreign inflows into Thai assets also weigh on the pair (USD-THB). This is in contrast to yesterday where foreign investors sold US$39.1 million and US$46.8 million in equities and debt,” Maybank said in a note.

Airports of Thailand Pcl rose 1.5%, while Siam Commercial Bank Pcl jumped 2.4%.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
Change on the day

Change so far in 2019

Source: TheEdgeMarkets