A total of 147,091 new individual Central Depository System (CDS) accounts were opened in the first half of 2021 – an increase of 67% compared with the 88,080 CDS accounts that were opened during the same period last year.

According to Bursa Malaysia CEO Datuk Muhammad Umar Swift, 64% of those who opened new accounts this year are aged between 25 and 44. “The increase in millennial investors is positive for long-term sustainability of the capital market,” he said. He added that investors aged between 45 and 64 years old are the largest contributors to total retail trading value, representing 45% or RM176.4 million in 1H21.

“Retailers remain as net buyers in our domestic market as of 1H21 with a net buy position of RM8.2 billion,” Umar also revealed. Since the beginning of the year, retailers continued to show strong momentum with the average daily trading value (ADV) rising to RM4.4 billion in 1H21, up 41.4% from RM3.1 billion in 1H20.

Bursa Malaysia had reported its best-ever six-month performance since its listing in 2005. It recorded a 39.4% jump in its profit to RM210.36 million from RM150.96 million for 1H21. For the second quarter of 2021, there was a marginal increase of 3.18% in net profit to RM88.97 million while quarterly revenue increased 9.08% to RM196.1 million.

With regards to initial public offerings (IPO), Bursa Malaysia remained upbeat on its target of seeing 31 new listings this year. “I have said earlier that our target for this year is to have 31 new listings and it remains 31 at this point in time as we move into 2H21,” said Umar.

(Source: The Edge Markets)

• TAGS:
• Bursa Malaysia
• CDS Accounts
• Central Depository System (CDS)
• Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift
• Millennial Investors
• Retail Investors
• Stock Market