Is the stock market recovering?

DO Bursa Malaysia's latest trading figures point to a recovery? How will it fare in the face of rising transport and power costs? THE STOCK MARKET FIGURES FOR JANUARY TO June 2009 are in. Bursa Malaysia recorded a share trading value of US$39,239.9 billion, a decline of 37.2% over the same period last year.

Thailand, with all its protests and street demonstrations that even forced the cancellation of an Asean summit, recorded a higher trading figure of US$51,017.4 billion on its stock exchange. Justified perhaps as the disturbances might have led to higher selling.

The Stock Exchange of Singapore leads the region, with a figure of US$108,850.2 billion, though it was a drop of 31.6% over …