Win Streak May Continue For Malaysia Stock Market

(RTTNews) - The Malaysia stock market has moved higher in back-to-back sessions, collecting almost 10 points or 0.7 percent in that span. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index now sits just beneath the 1,630-point plateau and it's expected to see additional support on Tuesday. The global forecast for the Asian markets is broadly positive on optimism that the end of the U.S. government shutdown in near. The European and U.S. markets were sharply higher and the Asian bourses are expected to follow that lead. The KLCI finished modestly higher on Monday following gains from the financial shares and telecoms and mixed performances from the plantations and industrials. For the day, the index added 8.25 points or 0.51 percent to finish at 1,627.38 after trading between 1,620.49 and 1,633.52. Among the actives, 99 Speed Mart Retail and CIMB Group both gained 0.66 percent, while AMMB Holdings increased 0.70 percent, Axiata surged 3.85 percent, Celcomdigi shed 0.27 percent, Gamuda advanced 0.79 percent, IHH Healthcare slumped 0.72 percent, IOI Corporation lost 0.25 percent, Kuala Lumpur Kepong perked 0.19 percent, Maxis soared 3.04 percent, Maybank collected 0.30 percent, MISC spiked 2.88 percent, MRDIY declined 1.23 percent, Nestle Malaysia sank 0.36 percent, Petronas Chemicals accelerated 2.82 percent, Petronas Dagangan rallied 1.69 percent, PPB Group added 0.69 percent, Press Metal strengthened 1.11 percent, QL Resources fell 0.24 percent, RHB Bank jumped 1.48 percent, SD Guthrie improved 0.74 percent, Sunway stumbled 1.65 percent, Telekom Malaysia rose 0.55 percent, Tenaga Nasional climbed 0.91 percent, YTL Corporation plunged 2.73 percent, YTL Power retreated 1.28 percent and Petronas Gas, Public Bank and Sime Darby were unchanged.

The lead from Wall Street is solid as the major averages opened higher on Monday and largely spent most of the sessions firmly in positive territory.

The Dow jumped 381.53 points or 0.81 percent to finish at 47,368.63, while the NASDAQ surged 522.64 points or 2.27 percent to close at 23,527.17 and the S&P 500 rallied 103.63 points or 1.54 percent to end at 6,832.43.

The strength on Wall Street came after the Senate voted to advance legislation to end the government shutdown, which recently became the longest in U.S. history. The Senate voted 60-40 in favor of a temporary funding bill, which would also reverse some of the recent mass federal layoffs.

Several Democratic Senators broke with party leaders in favor of moving forward with the legislation, as it does call for a vote on the extension of enhanced Obamacare tax credits.

The end of the shutdown would also lead to the resumption of the release of key U.S. economic data that has recently been withheld.

Crude oil prices moved higher on Monday on the prospects of the U.S. government shutdown coming to a close. West Texas Intermediate crude for December delivery was up $0.31 or 0.52 percent at $60.06 per barrel.