New highs for stocks and oil
Monday October 29, 12:00 am ET
By Ian Chua
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian stocks hit a record high on Monday and the dollar plumbed an all-time low versus the euro and a basket of major currencies as investors bet the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this week.
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A wilting dollar coupled with a brief halt to one-fifth of Mexico's production fired up oil prices, sending U.S. crude above $93 a barrel for the first time. Gold rode on the coat-tails of oil to a 28-year high of $792.60 an ounce and other base metals such as copper also firmed on the weak dollar.
Further lifted by upbeat earnings from firms such as Nissan Motor (Tokyo:7201.T - News), Japan's Nikkei average (Osaka:^N225 - News) climbed 1.6 percent to a one-week high by 0337 GMT, while MSCI's measure of other Asia Pacific stocks advanced 1.9 percent.
The MSCI index hit an all-time high of 585.32, surpassing the previous peak of 574.04 set on Friday and has gained more than 45 percent this year -- triple the gains for MSCI's main world equity index (^MIWD00000PUS - News).
"A (U.S.) rate cut is already factored in and this is helping to boost the Nikkei," said Masayoshi Okamoto, head of dealing at Jujiya Securities.
Lower U.S. interest rates should boost economic growth in Asia's main export market, and also make equity valuations more attractive.
Among major markets in the region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index (HKSE:^HSI - News) and South Korea's KOSPI (KSE:^KS11 - News) both reached new life highs, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX:^AXJO - News) was a whisker away from its record high set on October 15.
After two straight weeks of losses, Chinese mainland stocks rebounded, pushing the Shanghai Composite Index (^SSEC - News) over 2 percent higher.
BANKS RISE
Markets were led by financial names as investors expected that further rate cuts by the Fed, whose two-day policy-setting meeting kicks off on Tuesday, will help loosen up credit markets that had been kicked hard by the U.S. subprime market woes.
Persistent weakness in the U.S. housing market is expected to spur the Fed to lower rates again after the aggressive 50 basis point cut last month that gave global stocks a boost.
Japan's top lender, Mitsubishi UFJ (Tokyo:8306.T - News), jumped 5.5 percent and South Korea's Kookmin Bank (060000.KS), due to deliver its quarterly results later in the day, gained 4 percent.
Investors also snapped up Nissan Motor, sending the stock up 13 percent, after the automaker posted a surprise gain of 12 percent in quarterly operating profit on Friday, while Australian nickel miner Jubilee Mines (ASX:JBM.AX - News) surged 40 percent on the back of a $2.8 billion takeover offer from Anglo-Swiss miner Xtrata (LSE:XTA.L - News).
But Advantest Corp (Tokyo:6857.T - News) skidded 5.2 percent after the world's largest maker of microchip testers posted a drop in first-half net profit and cut its guidance for this year to below expectations.
DOLLAR WILTS
Amid expectations of lower U.S. rates, the dollar plumbed new depths against the euro. The dollar index (^DXY - News), which measures the greenback's value against a basket of six major currencies, eased 0.2 percent, after earlier touching an all-time low of 76.890.
The euro rose to a high near $1.4415 and also climbed against the Japanese currency to 164.50 yen. The dollar bought 114.14 yen, little changed from late New York levels on Friday.
The low-yielding yen tends to underperform when stock markets rally as it is usually used to fund the purchases of higher-yielding, more risky assets in the popular carry trades.
A barrage of U.S. data this week, including the advanced reading of third-quarter economic growth report, will help determine the fate of the dollar, especially if they turn out surprisingly positive for the U.S. economy.
"All of the dollar negatives are priced in, so we need data and some new factors," said Luke Waddington, head of forex trading at Royal Bank of Scotland in Tokyo.
Safe-haven government bonds struggled as demand for riskier assets grew, causing bond yields to rise.
The benchmark 10-year Japanese government bonds climbed one basis point to a one-week high of 1.625 percent.
The Bank of Japan will also meet this week to discuss monetary policy, but was seen holding the overnight call rate target steady at 0.5 percent.
Source = http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/071029/markets_stocks.html?.v=1
Sunday, October 28, 2007
马来西亚股市希望 吸引新加坡散户投资
马来西亚股市希望 吸引新加坡散户投资
● 林诗慧
马来西亚交易所(Bursa Malaysia)正在不断力求改进，希望吸引更多外国散户前往投资，尤其是对马股较熟悉的新加坡人。
马交所表示，马来西亚股市提供的股息收益率(dividend yield)高达3.75％，是区域市场中最高的。本益比估价(P/E valuation)也非常具吸引力，计16.5倍，今年首三季的每日平均交易值也从去年的10亿零吉增至25亿零吉。
新加坡证券投资者协会研究部(SIAS Research)和马交所在上周六为本地投资者联办“2007年马来西亚日”(Malaysia Day 2007)研讨会。
马交所集团策略主管阿都拉(Adhha Abdullah)在接受访问时说：“马股市仍有很大的发展空间。我们目前有九个衍生产品，希望接下来能通过推出更多产品得以环球化。我们也将改善基础设施，例如于明年初推出新的股票交易平台，以便减少投资者进行交易所花费的时间。”
他表示：“交易所希望改变人们对我们的看法，恢复投资者对我们的信心，向他们确保10年前发生过的事件(资金管制)不会历史重演，毕竟现在的环境和10年前已是天壤之别。政府正在探讨如何加强我们的市场竞争力，相信马股的表现很快便能追上近两三年来表现优越的市场。”
他指出，马来西亚的经济基本面相当强，预计一年可取得稳定的约5.5％增长。通货膨胀正在不断下降，利率预计将保持平稳，零吉也在不断的升值当中。
目前，马股市值已创下1万亿零吉的高峰。截至今年9月底首九个月，马交所净利年比狂飙141％至1亿9113万零吉，大幅超越去年同期的7951万零吉，也提早突破2006财年的全年水平。
马交所目前有1001家上市公司，其中仅六家来自海外。阿都拉表示，除了吸引海外投资者，马交所也希望向新交所看齐，吸引更多外国公司来马交所上市，尤其是越南及印尼从事种植、汽油、基础设施建设与自然资源业的公司。马交所近期也刚设下海外公司上市准则。
对于收购与合并活动，阿都拉指出马交所并没有积极寻找与其他交易所建立策略性关系的商机，但不排除考虑有明显策略价值、能协助马交所发展的计划。
这是马交所第二次在本地向散户推介马国上市公司，希望从而改善马股偏低的流通率，共600多人出席了上午第一部分的研讨会。
source = http://www.zaobao.com/cg/cg071029_502_1.html
● 林诗慧
马来西亚交易所(Bursa Malaysia)正在不断力求改进，希望吸引更多外国散户前往投资，尤其是对马股较熟悉的新加坡人。
马交所表示，马来西亚股市提供的股息收益率(dividend yield)高达3.75％，是区域市场中最高的。本益比估价(P/E valuation)也非常具吸引力，计16.5倍，今年首三季的每日平均交易值也从去年的10亿零吉增至25亿零吉。
新加坡证券投资者协会研究部(SIAS Research)和马交所在上周六为本地投资者联办“2007年马来西亚日”(Malaysia Day 2007)研讨会。
马交所集团策略主管阿都拉(Adhha Abdullah)在接受访问时说：“马股市仍有很大的发展空间。我们目前有九个衍生产品，希望接下来能通过推出更多产品得以环球化。我们也将改善基础设施，例如于明年初推出新的股票交易平台，以便减少投资者进行交易所花费的时间。”
他表示：“交易所希望改变人们对我们的看法，恢复投资者对我们的信心，向他们确保10年前发生过的事件(资金管制)不会历史重演，毕竟现在的环境和10年前已是天壤之别。政府正在探讨如何加强我们的市场竞争力，相信马股的表现很快便能追上近两三年来表现优越的市场。”
他指出，马来西亚的经济基本面相当强，预计一年可取得稳定的约5.5％增长。通货膨胀正在不断下降，利率预计将保持平稳，零吉也在不断的升值当中。
目前，马股市值已创下1万亿零吉的高峰。截至今年9月底首九个月，马交所净利年比狂飙141％至1亿9113万零吉，大幅超越去年同期的7951万零吉，也提早突破2006财年的全年水平。
马交所目前有1001家上市公司，其中仅六家来自海外。阿都拉表示，除了吸引海外投资者，马交所也希望向新交所看齐，吸引更多外国公司来马交所上市，尤其是越南及印尼从事种植、汽油、基础设施建设与自然资源业的公司。马交所近期也刚设下海外公司上市准则。
对于收购与合并活动，阿都拉指出马交所并没有积极寻找与其他交易所建立策略性关系的商机，但不排除考虑有明显策略价值、能协助马交所发展的计划。
这是马交所第二次在本地向散户推介马国上市公司，希望从而改善马股偏低的流通率，共600多人出席了上午第一部分的研讨会。
source = http://www.zaobao.com/cg/cg071029_502_1.html
Malaysian shares outlook - Higher on extended buying after KLCI hits record
Malaysian shares outlook - Higher on extended buying after KLCI hits record
29/10/2007 07:54:00
KUALA LUMPUR (Thomson Financial) - Malaysian shares are expected to open higher
Monday on extended buying after the key composite index hit a fresh record on
Friday.
Stock markets across Asia are likely to continue to rally ahead of the Federal
Reserve's rate-setting meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, with investors
expecting the Fed to lower interest rates to spur economic growth.
"After Wall Street's sharp rise last Friday, investors should expect an
extended rally on the Malaysian bourse," said Kaladher Govindan, the head of
research at TA Securities.
Among the market movers, oil and gas and construction and property stocks may
edge higher as buying interest is expected to accelerate with Prime Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi set to officially launch the East Coast Economic Region
(ECER) today in Terengganu.
The ECER is an oil-and-gas project led by state oil company Petronas.
Palm oil producers may continue to rise after crude oil prices hit another
fresh record last week, touching the 92 US dollar per barrel mark.
Crude palm oil futures contracts traded on the Malaysian derivatives exchange
closed at a fresh record Friday as investors bet that soaring oil prices will
encourage demand for biofuel, an alternative to crude that can be produced using
palm oil as feedstock.
The benchmark contract for January delivery closed the week at 2,800 ringgit
per metric ton.
On Friday, the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) closed at a record level of
1,398.35 points, up 20.08 points or 1.5 percent. For the week, the KLCI was up
28.18 points or 2.1 percent.
The FTSE Bursa Malaysia 30 large-cap index gained 125.97 points or 1.5 percent
to 8,820.81 and the second board index added 1.13 points or 1.0 percent to
109.28.
(1 US dollar = 3.34 ringgit)
aipeng.soo@thomson.com
Source = osk wirenews
29/10/2007 07:54:00
KUALA LUMPUR (Thomson Financial) - Malaysian shares are expected to open higher
Monday on extended buying after the key composite index hit a fresh record on
Friday.
Stock markets across Asia are likely to continue to rally ahead of the Federal
Reserve's rate-setting meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, with investors
expecting the Fed to lower interest rates to spur economic growth.
"After Wall Street's sharp rise last Friday, investors should expect an
extended rally on the Malaysian bourse," said Kaladher Govindan, the head of
research at TA Securities.
Among the market movers, oil and gas and construction and property stocks may
edge higher as buying interest is expected to accelerate with Prime Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi set to officially launch the East Coast Economic Region
(ECER) today in Terengganu.
The ECER is an oil-and-gas project led by state oil company Petronas.
Palm oil producers may continue to rise after crude oil prices hit another
fresh record last week, touching the 92 US dollar per barrel mark.
Crude palm oil futures contracts traded on the Malaysian derivatives exchange
closed at a fresh record Friday as investors bet that soaring oil prices will
encourage demand for biofuel, an alternative to crude that can be produced using
palm oil as feedstock.
The benchmark contract for January delivery closed the week at 2,800 ringgit
per metric ton.
On Friday, the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) closed at a record level of
1,398.35 points, up 20.08 points or 1.5 percent. For the week, the KLCI was up
28.18 points or 2.1 percent.
The FTSE Bursa Malaysia 30 large-cap index gained 125.97 points or 1.5 percent
to 8,820.81 and the second board index added 1.13 points or 1.0 percent to
109.28.
(1 US dollar = 3.34 ringgit)
aipeng.soo@thomson.com
Source = osk wirenews
MLTA vs MRTA
MLTA vs MRTA
Basically there are two types of mortgage life insurance available in the market.
1.Mortgage Reducing or Decreasing Term Assurance (MRTA or MDTA)
2.Mortgage Level Term Assurance (MLTA).
1.Mortgage Reducing Term Assurance (MRTA) or Mortgage Decreasing Term Assurance (MDTA)
Main = Protecton (reducing)
Premium = LumpSum
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.Mortgage Level Term Assurance (MLTA)
Main = Protecton + Saving + Cash Value
Premium = monthly, quarterly,yearly
Comparison and Features of MDTA and MLTA
Life-MLTA
1. Transferable
This policy is transferable whenever the borrower buys a new property.
2. Insurability is Guaranteed
No need to prove your health condition again.
3. With Savings or Returns (Cash Value - Is your Asset)
There is cash value can be used to reduce or pays off your mortgage.
MRTA
1. Not Transferable
In most cases, new MDTA policy has to be taken up whenever a borrower changes his properties or refinances his loan with another bank
2. Insurability is not Guaranteed
Have to prove that you are healthy to purchase MDTA.
3. No Cash Value(expenses of you)
NO cash value at end of the mortgage tenure.
Example =
Joe, 24 male and bought a property for 230k but he only take 100k loan.
MRTA scenario
So if he purchase RM100k for 30 years MRTA the premium will be RM2165 and the surrender value from time to time is less and less. So, if anything happen to Joe at 5th year, the benefit he get from insurance com will be RM95299 while 10th year will be RM87319. So at the end, the value will be zero at 30th year.
MLTA scenario
If he purchase same RM100k and 30 years MLTA, he needs to pay RM61 every month and gets the level protection. He can choose to pay monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. If Ken is TPD and can't make a source to pay for monthly installment, the benefits he get is RM100k no matter at which year. If Accidental death it would be X 2, the benefits will be RM200k. This is consider savings and you get the level benefits no matter 1st year or 18th or 30th year. Because the surrender value is high and higher. If Joe have nothing happen at 30th year, he can get back the value he prepaid. This is the benefit you get from MLTA. And, Ken is only 24, if he buy a better property, he can bring this MLTA over to that property and extend it.
Basically there are two types of mortgage life insurance available in the market.
1.Mortgage Reducing or Decreasing Term Assurance (MRTA or MDTA)
2.Mortgage Level Term Assurance (MLTA).
1.Mortgage Reducing Term Assurance (MRTA) or Mortgage Decreasing Term Assurance (MDTA)
Main = Protecton (reducing)
Premium = LumpSum
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.Mortgage Level Term Assurance (MLTA)
Main = Protecton + Saving + Cash Value
Premium = monthly, quarterly,yearly
Comparison and Features of MDTA and MLTA
Life-MLTA
1. Transferable
This policy is transferable whenever the borrower buys a new property.
2. Insurability is Guaranteed
No need to prove your health condition again.
3. With Savings or Returns (Cash Value - Is your Asset)
There is cash value can be used to reduce or pays off your mortgage.
MRTA
1. Not Transferable
In most cases, new MDTA policy has to be taken up whenever a borrower changes his properties or refinances his loan with another bank
2. Insurability is not Guaranteed
Have to prove that you are healthy to purchase MDTA.
3. No Cash Value(expenses of you)
NO cash value at end of the mortgage tenure.
Example =
Joe, 24 male and bought a property for 230k but he only take 100k loan.
MRTA scenario
So if he purchase RM100k for 30 years MRTA the premium will be RM2165 and the surrender value from time to time is less and less. So, if anything happen to Joe at 5th year, the benefit he get from insurance com will be RM95299 while 10th year will be RM87319. So at the end, the value will be zero at 30th year.
MLTA scenario
If he purchase same RM100k and 30 years MLTA, he needs to pay RM61 every month and gets the level protection. He can choose to pay monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. If Ken is TPD and can't make a source to pay for monthly installment, the benefits he get is RM100k no matter at which year. If Accidental death it would be X 2, the benefits will be RM200k. This is consider savings and you get the level benefits no matter 1st year or 18th or 30th year. Because the surrender value is high and higher. If Joe have nothing happen at 30th year, he can get back the value he prepaid. This is the benefit you get from MLTA. And, Ken is only 24, if he buy a better property, he can bring this MLTA over to that property and extend it.
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