KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 ― The local stock market is expected to trend higher next week amid cautious market sentiment, with the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) likely to stay above the 1,600-level.

OANDA senior market analyst Jeffrey Halley expects Bursa Malaysia and equities globally to trend higher next week, powered by hopes of more United States fiscal stimulus and large-scale infrastructure spending.

He said the Georgia election and US presidential confirmation have also removed the major risk event hovering over the global recovery trade.

"It was evident Friday, after the KLCI moved lower during morning session, and that plenty of buyers were looking to buy any dip in cyclical developing markets at the moment.

"The price action today (Friday) suggests regional equities are well placed to move higher next week,” he told Bernama.

Halley projects that the KLCI would likely rally to the 1,660 region initially, and could possibly extend gains to the 1,680 region.

Meanwhile, Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd economist Adam Mohamed Rahim expects the FBM KLCI to remain range bound next week, trading between 1,630 and 1,640 as investors remain anxious on whether a movement control order (MCO) would be reimposed.

"If another MCO comes into place, a sell off is expected to be seen on Bursa Malaysia which can push the local bourse down to below 1,600 points,” he said.

On a Thursday-to-Friday basis, the benchmark FBM KLCI increased 5.98 points to 1,633.19 from 1,627.21 last week.

Sentiment in the market was mostly centred on the resurgence of Covid-19 cases, pending arrival of vaccine, worries on possible lockdown, commodity prices, Securities Commission’s move to terminate the suspension of regulated short-selling (RSS), and Georgia Senate run-off elections.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index fell 124.48 points to 11,637.45, the FBMT 100 Index erased 94.18 points to 11,417.81, the FBM 70 dipped 654.73 points to 14,488.11, the FBM Emas Shariah Index slipped 5.21 points to 13,153.94, and the FBM ACE Index weakened 237.28 points to 10,497.41.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index contracted 308.44 points to 15,008.11, the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 3.53 points to 174.58, while the Plantation Index climbed 115.45 points to 7,418.29.

The Energy Index fell 52.13 points to 844.26, the Healthcare Index gave up 56.24 points for 3,627.79, and the Technology Index shed 3.0 points to 66.72.

Weekly turnover increased to 37.9 billion units worth RM26.49 billion from 31.20 billion units worth RM14.88 billion last week.

Main Market volume jumped to 22.51 billion shares valued at RM21.52 billion from 18.76 billion shares valued at RM12.5 billion previously.

Warrants turnover surged to 2.56 billion units worth RM373.54 million from 1.61 billion units worth RM264.98 million in the previous week.

The ACE Market volume advanced to 12.91 billion shares valued at RM4.59 billion from 10.83 billion shares valued at RM3.11 billion previously. ― Bernama