PETALING JAYA: Analysts believe local institutional investors can absorb the net selling by foreign portfolio funds on Bursa Malaysia and support the local market to hold on to the 7.4% gains made year-to-date (y-t-d).

Despite the RM1.59bil in net selling by foreign funds last week – the highest in four years – the local benchmark FBM KLCI closed at a 23-month high of 1,561.6 points yesterday on fresh buying by local institutions as sentiment showed signs of improvement ahead of a major week for US corporate earnings and economic data for global markets, which have undergone a correction in the past two trading weeks.