IT WAS another week of net selling by foreign investors on Bursa Malaysia during the Dec 15-19 trading week, marking the second consecutive week of outflows with net foreign selling totalling -RM363.3 mil (prior week: -RM472.1 mil).
This is despite the benchmark FBM KLCI climbing to an almost 15-month high and surpassing its previous peak of 1,660.09 recorded on Sept 27, 2024 as domestic sentiment improved ahead of the year-end window dressing activities amid the strengthening ringgit.
The bulk of the outflows was recorded on Monday (DSDec 15) (-RM133.8 mi), followed by Tuesday (Dec 16) (-RM132.8 mil) and Wednesday (Dec 17) (-RM104.5 mil), according to MBSB Research (formerly MIDF Research).
“But foreign investors turned marginal net buyers on Thursday (Dec 18) (RM2.6 mil) and Friday (Dec 19) (RM5.1 mil),” observed the research house in its weekly fund flow report.
The top three sectors that recorded net foreign inflows last week were financial services (RM153.1 mil), industrial products & services (RM80.9m) and plantation (RM35.5 mil).
Meanwhile, the top three sectors with the highest net foreign outflows were utilities (-RM355.7 mil), construction (-RM74.1 mil) and consumer products & services (-RM64.1 mil).
On the contrary, local institutions extended their buying streak to a fifth consecutive week, with net inflows of RM508.6 mil.
But local retailers registered a third successive week of net outflows which amounted to -RM145.3 mil.
The average daily trading volume (ADTV) saw a broad-based increase: local retailers by +2.0%, local institutions by +4.5% and foreign investors by +5.1%.
In comparison with another four Southeast Asian markets tracked by MBSB Research, Indonesia recorded net foreign inflows of US$195.7 mil to extend its streak to the 11th week on the back of its economy having expanded by +5.0% in 9M CY2025.
Foreign investors also returned to Thailand after a brief bout of net selling the previous week with inflows totalling US$40.3 mil after the Bank of Thailand (BOT) lowered its policy interest rate to the lowest level since CY2022 to support a fragile economy.
However, the Philippines recorded net foreign outflows of -US$32.7 mil for a fourth consecutive week of net selling while Vietnam posted a week in a row of net foreign outflows at -US$6.8 mil.
The top three stocks with the highest net money inflow from foreign investors last week were Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd (RM119.9 mil); Malayan Banking Bhd (RM106.8 mil) and Public Bank Bhd (RM106.0 mil). – Dec 22, 2025
