NST Online Business Times : latest

Posted: 20 Mar 2013 06:53 PM PDT

Bank Negara Malaysia will continue to closely monitor the personal financing segment of the banking industry to ensure the country's household debt remains well-contained.

Last year's strong 30 per cent growth of personal financing, driven by expansion in lending by non-bank financial institutions, warranted Bank Negara to be more rigorous in its oversight, said governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz.

She said for now, there is little concern over this development as the credit risk of non-banks for this loan portfolio remains low at only 1.6 per cent.

She noted that the majority of these non-bank borrowers are those earning RM3,000 or less, but the credit risk is well mitigated as about 80 per cent of them have stable jobs and regular salary and repayment is made via automatic salary deduction.

"These developments are nonetheless being closely monitored, particularly in light of recent innovation observed on the product offering by the non-bank financial institutions," said Zeti.

On the whole banking system, she said as at end of last year, the gross impaired loans ratio of the banking system improved to 1.5 per cent for the household portfolio, 2.9 per cent for large business and 3.0 per cent for small and medium enterprises.

KL shares open mixed

Posted: 20 Mar 2013 07:08 PM PDT

Share prices on Bursa Malaysia opened mixed, in early trade, as the market was yet to pick up momentum, dealers said.

As at 9.20am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 1.17 points lower at 1,630.37 after opening 1.5 points higher at 1,632.59.

HwangDBS Vickers Research said the key FBM KLCI could add on to its two-day cumulative gains of 10.2-points by riding on the prevailing recovery momentum.

"On the chart, the benchmark index may challenge the immediate resistance barrier of 1,635 today.

"This comes as Wall Street extended its run-up last night. In particular, bullish investors pushed up major US equity indices by between 0.4 per cent and 0.8 per cent at the closing bell on the back of better economic outlook," it said in a note today.

Among the local stocks that may garner added interest today include MRCB Bhd, after media reports said it had received a letter of intent to upgrade the Klang Valley double-tracking system for approximately RM850 million.

Eastern & Oriental Bhd, which has signed an agreement with a
Japanese partner to jointly undertake a high-end property development project in Kuala Lumpur also stood to gain together with Pintaras Jaya Bhd which just bagged a RM30 million construction job.

On the chart, the Plantation Index rose 11.96 points to 7,825.35 and the Industrial Index gained 1.07 points to 2,828.63.

The Finance Index, however, fell 14.65 points to 15,307.51.

The FBM Emas Index eased 6.94 points to 11,163.15, the FBMT100 was 8.33 points lower at 10,999.88, the FBM Mid 70 Index lost 11.18 points to 12,422.24 and the FBM Ace Index slipped 3.45 points to 3,943.46.

Gainers led losers 106 to 95, with 110 counters unchanged, 1,333 untraded and 25 others were suspended.

Turnover stood at 59.176 million shares worth RM72.457 million.

Actives, Karambunai gained one sen to 11.5 sen, Muhibbah and Tebrau Teguh garnered five sen each to RM1.06 and RM1.40, respectively, while Mulpha International was flat at 40.5 sen.

Heavyweights, Maybank rose four sen to RM9.16 but both Sime Darby and Axiata Group were flat at RM9.19 and RM6.33, respectively.

However, CIMB Group, Petronas Chemicals and Maxis lost one sen each to RM7.16, RM6.37 and RM6.50, respectively.-- Bernama

Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Rabu, 20 Mac 2013

NST Online Business Times : latest

NST Online Business Times : latest

0 ulasan:

Catat Ulasan