IPPFA Sdn Bhd director of investment strategy and country economist Sedek Jantan said consumer and utilities counters led the gainers among key index constituents, reflecting continued optimism towards Malaysia’s economic prospects and trade outlook.
“Across the region, Asian markets were mixed following the meeting between US president Donald Trump and China’s president Xi Jinping in South Korea, which resulted in a broad agreement to ease trade tensions.
“Globally, sentiment remained cautious despite the US Federal Reserve reducing its federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 3.75%-4%, signalling a more accommodative stance amid signs of slowing global growth,” he told Bernama.
On the local front, Sedek noted that sentiment turned more cautious after Bursa reported softer earnings for the first nine months of 2025 and a downward revision to its full-year performance targets, which suggests ongoing normalisation in trading activity.
At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) added 2.66 points, or 0.17% to 1,614.20 from yesterday’s close of 1,611.54.
The benchmark index opened 2.62 points higher at 1,614.16 and moved between 1,611.62 and 1,615.18 throughout the trading session.
Market breadth was negative with 607 losers trouncing 393 gainers, while 514 counters were unchanged, 1,196 untraded and 101 suspended.
Turnover increased to 3.46 billion units worth RM2.62 billion compared with 2.73 billion units worth RM2.37 billion yesterday.
Among heavyweights, Maybank and Tenaga Nasional rose 2 sen each to RM9.89 and RM13.32 respectively, Public Bank added 3 sen to RM4.22, while CIMB Group slipped 7 sen to RM7.31 and IHH Healthcare eased 5 sen to RM8.20.
On the most active list, Borneo Oil, Zetrix AI and TWL Holdings were all unchanged at 0.5 sen, 81.5 sen, and 2.5 sen, respectively. Perak Transit eased 2 sen to 36.5 sen and Tanco added 0.5 sen to 93 sen.
Top gainers included Nestle, which surged RM1.30 to RM110.50, Chin Teck Plantations advanced 42 sen to RM11.74, LEAP Market debutant LPC Group soared 40 sen to 50 sen, Petronas Dagangan climbed 38 sen to RM22.68, and United Plantations firmed 36 sen to RM24.64.
Among the top losers, Malaysian Pacific Industries tumbled 86 sen to RM30.26, LTKM declined 12 sen to RM1.44, Oriental Holdings shed 10 sen to RM6.83, Heitech Padu slipped 9 sen to RM1.91 and Southern Cable lost 8 sen to RM2.04.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index eased 2.40 points to 12,051.30, the FBMT 100 Index slid 0.09 of-a-point to 11,792.47, the FBM Emas Shariah Index decreased 14.44 points to 12,125.13, and the FBM 70 Index fell 84.85 points to 17,077.14, while the FBM ACE Index gained 4.28 points to 5,229.84.
By sector, the financial services index improved 23.65 points to 18,193.25, and the plantation index jumped 58.18 points to 8,020.17, while the industrial products and services index edged down 0.67 of-a-point to 171.50, and the energy index fell 6.59 points to 768.43.
The Main Market volume declined to 1.67 billion units valued at RM2.30 billion from 1.99 billion units valued at RM2.18 billion yesterday.
Warrants turnover surged to 1.40 billion units worth RM152.73 million compared with 352 million units worth RM31 million previously.
The ACE Market volume expanded to 386.48 million units valued at RM165.60 million from 368.17 million units valued at RM157.61 million yesterday.
Consumer products and services counters accounted for 306.55 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (338.10 million), construction (107.04 million), technology (245.37 million), financial services (67.96 million), property (255.04 million), plantation (33.02 million), real estate investment trusts (22.46 million), closed-end fund (40,000), energy (93.48 million), healthcare (92.24 million), telecommunications and media (57.55 million), transportation and logistics (33.50 million), utilities (22.03 million), and business trusts (494,000).