Weekly Market Update - 9 November 2015

Market Outlook

Equity Market Outlook

• US economy added 271,000 jobs in October, better than market consensus forecast. Unemployment rate dropped to 5.0%. With this good set of job numbers, FED is expected to start their interest rate normalization in this up-coming December’s Federal Open Market Committee Meeting (FOMC) meeting.
• Expect USD to stay buoyant against the emerging currencies until the start of the rate hike by FOMC.
• Strategy: Remain focused on export oriented industries that will benefit from a strong USD and construction sector which will benefit from the on-going government spending.

Fixed Income Outlook 

• On the local front, trading volume in local govvies was lighter last week ahead of US labour market report which is crucial in deciding whether there is a higher possibility of US interest rate hike in December.
• Bond market foreign holdings as at 31 October recorded a positive inflow across instruments, predominantly in short-term (ST) Bills. The data shows that the foreigners are still interested in Malaysia despite the weakened Ringgit but the inflow might not persist in coming months as US FOMC meeting outcome will be the theme for the coming months.    

Source: Lipper for Investment Management, as at 6 November 2015

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