OSK Strategy and Outlook (Dec 2011)

Essentially, with the uncertainties in Europe continuing amid a potential global slowdown in the economy, we will continue to see market volatility in the next few months. As such, we continue to advise investors to be patient and focus on Defensive counters, while looking out for opportunities to Trade. We continue to advocate Buying into Weakness when the KLCI falls towards the 1,300-pt level, focusing on Banks, O&G and Construction stocks while we advocate Selling into Strength on the same three sectors when the market rallies towards 1,500 pts.

Festive Cheer in December?

While we remain fairly defensive over the mid term, December may still be a bright spot amid the gloom. There is still a possibility of the traditional year-end rally and the just announced joint effort by various central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, the Bank of Japan, the Bank of England, the Swiss National Bank and the Bank of Canada to provide liquidity may just convince markets that there will indeed be a coordinated global effort to tackle the sovereign debt woes.

These central banks will be reducing interest rates on dollar liquidity swaps by 50 basis points. While we doubt that this will be the magic pill for Europe and the world, there may just be enough optimism and hope left in December to see markets rise towards the year end. As such, we see a possibility that the KLCI may still rise to end the year in positive territory, close to our 1,533-pt year-end target, although ultimately economic woes in Europe should drag it down towards our 1,466-pt 2012 Fair Value.

Asian governments also getting into the act. The efforts by central banks is also being supported by Asian countries with the Chinese government cutting reserve ratios for its banks, while Thailand announced its first interest rate cut since August 2009. As such, there could also be a regional boost to support the global effort.

OSK Stock Picks for December 2011

Throwing in some cyclical names in December

Given our view that the KLCI may possibly rise in December with the coordinated efforts by central banks worldwide to put on a united front (at least till the end of 2011), we introduce more cyclical names into our Top Buy list, such as Maybank (replacing Axiata that has done very well) and Dialog (replacing the ever defensive KPJ Healthcare).

Source: OSK Research Report