Foreign investors stayed net buyers last week with RM1.18 billion inflow

Foreign investors were the only net buyers on Bursa Malaysia last week with the net inflow amounting to RM1.18 billion, on the back of bargain-hunting activities, MIDF Research said.

In its equity strategy report today, the investment bank said international funds had been net buyers on Bursa Malaysia for nine out of the first eleven weeks of 2022.

“We noted that last week, the net buying by foreign investors was the highest for the year so far, totalling RM1.18 billion. The previous highest net buying by foreigners was on the week ended March 4 at RM1.08 billion,” it added.

MIDF Research said as the market reopened on Monday last week, foreign investors and local retailers bought RM219.24 million and RM35.27 million net of local equities, respectively, while local institutions started the week as net sellers of -RM254.50 million.

It noted that foreigners had continued to be net buyers every day of the week since Feb 7, with the largest foreign net inflow for last week on Wednesday at RM396.27 million and the smallest on Friday at only RM31.81 million.

As for the retailers, they had been net sellers every day of the week except Monday at RM35.27 million and Tuesday at RM9.28 million.

MIDF Research said the largest net selling was recorded on Thursday at -RM145.89 million while the smallest net selling was on Friday at -RM8.67 million.

It said overall, for the eleventh week of 2022, foreign investors finished strong as net buyers at RM1.2 billion, while the local institutions were strong net sellers at -RM1.0 billion followed by retailers net selling at -RM175.88 million.

“In terms of participation, foreign investors, local institutions and retail investors recorded a weekly movement of +64.50%, -19.68% and -23.96%, respectively, in average daily trade value.

“On a year-to-date basis, we have observed RM1.3 billion in net inflows from foreign investors and RM0.5 billion in net inflows from retailers. Meanwhile, local institutions were the only net sellers of -RM6.1 billion,” it said.

Last week, Public Bank registered the highest net money inflow of RM15.0 million. Its share price was +6.59% higher for the week, outperforming the local bourse which had a +1.47% weekly increase.

Meanwhile, UTD Plantations saw the largest net money outflow of -RM2.73 million last week. Its stock price was -3.72% lower for the week, underperforming the FBM KLCI which was +1.47% higher during the week under review.