The FBM KLCI rose to a 5-week intraday high of 1,545.2 points on Friday before closing at 1,540.7 points to register a gain of 1.7% for the week.

Most regional markets were well supported on news of better than expected 1Q2011 economic activities in Germany and France.

Looking ahead, the local market is anticipated to move in tandem with overseas markets as investors continue to monitor the outlook for global economic activities.

Led by selected index stocks, the FBM KLCI moved higher over the week and touched a 2-week intraday high of 1,540.6 points on Friday. Profit-taking subsequently caused the index to close at 1,535.0 points and register a gain of 0.8% for the week.

Average daily trading volume decreased to 1.0 bil from 1.2 bil units in the preceding week while daily turnover in value terms fell to RM1.3 bil from RM1.5 bil over the same period.

On Wall Street, shares prices were higher due to stronger-than-expected corporate earnings for 1Q2011. Following the weaker-than-expected 1Q2011 GDP data for the U.S. and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) statement on 28th April, investors expect U.S. monetary policy to remain easy for an extended period. The Dow gained by 2.4% to close at 12,811 points for the week. The broader-based S&P 500 Index rose by 2.0% to 1,364 points while the Nasdaq was higher by 1.9% to 2,874 points over the same period.

In the U.S., economic activities weakened with GDP growth moderating to 2.3% in 1Q2011 on a year-on-year basis from 2.8% in 4Q2010 due to weaker investment and government spending. Manufacturing activities in the U.S. consolidated with the Institute of Supply Management Purchasing Managers’ Index declining to 60.4 in April from 61.2 in March on lower production and new orders.

Anak syarikat milik penuh Public Bank, Public Mutual mengumumkan pengagihan untuk lima daripada dana-dananya. Jumlah pengagihan kasar yang diumumkan bagi tahun kewangan berakhir pada 30 April 2011 adalah seperti berikut:

Public Dana Far-East Telco & Infrastructure: 2.25 Pengagihan/Unit
Public Dana Islamic Dividend: 2.00 Pengagihan/Unit
Public Dana Islamic Asia Dividend: 0.40 Pengagihan/Unit
Public Dana Far-East Balanced: 0.50 Pengagihan/Unit
Public Dana Global Balanced: 0.50 Pengagihan/Unit

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Public Mutual Yeoh Kim Hong berkata bahawa Public Dana Far-East Telco & Infrastructure, yang ditarafkan No. 1 bagi kategori Ekuiti Asia Pacifik oleh Lipper telah menghasilkan pulangan satu tahun sebanyak 18.94% bagi tempoh berakhir 8 April 2010. (sumber: Jadual Dana The Edge-Lipper yang bertarikh 18 April 2011). Dana ini bermatlamat untuk mencapai pertumbuhan modal jangka panjang dengan menumpukan pelaburannya di sektor-sektor telekomunikasi, infrastruktur dan utiliti di pasaran-pasaran Timur Jauh.

Public Dana Islamic Dividend dan Public Dana Islamic Asia Dividend telah menghasilkan pulangan satu tahun sebanyak 18.57% dan 11.02% masing-masing bagi tempoh yang sama. Public Dana Islamic Dividend adalah terbuka kepada Skim Pelaburan Ahli KWSP.

Sementara itu, Public Dana Far-East Balanced dan Public Dana Global Balanced pula telah menghasilkan pulangan satu tahun sebanyak 4.16% dan 1.62% masing-masing bagi tempoh berakhir 8 April 2011.