The Securities Commission (SC) and Bursa Malaysia have extended the temporary suspension of short-selling from April 30 to June 30,2020, confirming the report by StarBiz.
“The extension of the temporary suspension will ensure that market management measures are still in place, to manage risks within the prevailing uncertain and challenging environment amid Covid-19 pandemic, as well as to mitigate any excessive speculative activities in the marketplace, ” they said in a joint statement on Tuesday.
They said the temporary suspension of short selling remains a short-term measure to provide stability and confidence in the Malaysian capital market.
To recap, the temporary suspension, which began on March 24, was initially targeted to end on April 30.
The move part of a slew of proactive measures to mitigate potential risks arising from heightened volatility and global uncertainties as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It involves the suspension of Intraday Short Selling (IDSS) and Regulated Short Selling (RSS), as well as intraday short selling by Proprietary Day Traders.
The suspension does not however apply to Permitted Short Selling (PSS).
“Both the SC and Bursa Malaysia will continue to monitor developments affecting the securities market and evaluate the adequacy of existing measures to support an orderly market and to mitigate potential risks,” they said in the statement.
On Tuesday, StarBiz reported the temporary suspension on short selling would likely be extended as the stock market is still fractured, and will likely face more onslaught from the extended movement control order (MCO).
This suspension was part of the regulators’ measures to mitigate potential risks arising from the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, as the MCO will be entering its fourth phase, this will further hurt the Malaysian economy and thus corporate earnings.
Most analysts have already agreed that corporate earnings over the next few quarters will be badly affected.
The Malaysian capital market may not be able to withstand heavy selling pressure in its current weakened state.
Source: The Star
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