By FARA AISYAH / Pic By ISMAIL CHE RUS

Foreign investors returned to Bursa Malaysia after a huge sell-off in the preceding week, bought RM4.5 million of local equity ahead of the Chinese New Year break, said MIDF Amanah Investment Bank Bhd’s research division (MIDF Research).

The net amount acquired during the 3½ days of trading last week is the smallest amount bought in a week so far this year.

“Foreign funds were net buyers on all trading days except last Monday which saw an attrition of RM230.3 million net.

“Meanwhile, foreign buying was the highest last Tuesday at RM112.7 million net, with trading value exceeding RM1.5 billion, the highest in four trading days,” MIDF Research noted in a statement yesterday.

The announcement of Malaysia’s gross domestic product expanding by 5.9% year-on-year in 2017 compared to a 4.2% expansion in 2016 last Wednesday saw the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI closing at a four-day high of 1,835 points.

However, foreign buying only stood at RM62.4 million net, the second-lowest during the week as foreigners remained anxious ahead of the US inflation data.