OCTOBER 22: Malaysia's decision to overhaul its controversial bank-consolidation plan might not spark a stampede by foreign investors into banking stocks. But several local banking analysts say it has widened the choice of investments in the sector, especially for investors with an appetite for risk. With finance-sector stocks accounting for about 20 per cent of the benchmark composite index, Alina Chiew of Merrill Lynch in Kuala Lumpur argues that foreign investors can't ignore them for very long--especially with Malaysia widely expected to be included in the closely tracked Morgan Stanley Capital International indexes next February. (MSCI indexes are used widely by global fund managers to allocate investment.)Azman Mokhtar, of Salomon Smith Barney in Kuala Lumpur, agrees. For those seeking blue-chip plays, the two analysts are suggesting stocks such as Malayan Banking and Public Bank. Both of these well-managed financial institutions were identified as so-called anchor banks under Malaysia's original merger plan. That status isn't expected to change, say banking analysts and bankers. For investors eyeing a little more adventure, analysts are recommending AMMB Holdings, Hong Leong Bank and RHB Capital. Under the original merger plan, these three banks would have been absorbed by lead institutions in their respective merger groupings. They are now considered to be potential lead players in the less structured financial-sector merger plan.
On Thursday, the policy reversal brought cheer to investors, with trading on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange centered on banking shares. While the benchmark composite index rose only modestly, up 2.08 points to 738.44, the KLSE Finance Index advanced 51.88 points to 5888.20. Malayan Banking rose to 12.80 ringgit ($3.37), up 20 sen, while RHB Capital rose 3.1%, or 10 sen, to 3.38 ringgit a share.
Bank Negara's reversal also resulted in some decliners. Investors snubbed Malaysian Plantations, whose Multi-Purpose Bank was one of the original so-called anchor banks identified to lead the second-largest banking group under the original merger plan. With Multi-Purpose unlikely to play a lead role now, Malaysian Plantation stock fell 8.4% to 2.41 ringgit, with more than 10.3 million units changing hands. Public Bank dropped 10 sen to 3.20 ringgit on some profit-taking.
Pushing the more risky recommendations among bank stocks won't be easy, analysts concede. Consider Peter Hames, a fund manager with Aberdeen Asset Management in Singapore.
(The Wall Street Journal)
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