Bursa Malaysia Rebounds At Midday On Resilient Domestic Fundamentals
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia rebounded at midday, with sentiment supported by Malaysia’s resilient domestic fundamentals.
At 12.30 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) inched up 0.58 points to 1,737.29 from Thursday’s close of 1,736.71.
The benchmark index opened 0.63 of a point higher at 1,736.08, and fluctuated between 1,733.13 and 1,738.30 during the morning trading session.
However, the broader market was negative, with losers outnumbering gainers 627 to 455, while 516 counters were unchanged, 1,274 untraded and 47 suspended.
Turnover totalled 2.38 billion units worth RM1.61 billion.
Yesterday, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) reported that Malaysia’s trade performance continued to strengthen in July 2026, growing by 37.3 per cent to RM364.7 billion from RM265.7 billion a year earlier, supported by sustained growth in both exports and imports.
In a statement, it said Malaysia’s exports expanded 38.0 per cent to RM193.6 billion and imports gained 36.4 per cent to RM171.1 billion, adding that the trade surplus increased by 51.9 per cent to RM22.5 billion in the month reviewed.
Meanwhile, Apex Securities Bhd said the FBM KLCI is expected to trade with a cautiously positive bias, although gains could be tempered by elevated global bond yields and ongoing geopolitical risks.
“Higher crude oil prices could provide some support to oil and gas-related counters, although a prolonged rise in energy prices would eventually increase input costs and inflationary pressures.
“Globally, the near-term outlook remains more selective and defensive,” it said in a note.
Among the heavyweights, Maybank gained four sen to RM10.62, while Public Bank was flat at RM5.12, CIMB Group eased three sen to RM7.95, Tenaga Nasional lost 10 sen to RM14.40 and IHH Healthcare inched down two sen to RM8.32.
On the most active list, NexG inched up half a sen to 33.5 sen, AirAsia fell seven sen to 81.5 sen, and Zetrix AI was flat at 65 sen, while JCY International gained 3.5 sen to 56.5 sen and YTL Corporation added two sen to RM2.45.
Top gainers included PPB Group and United Plantations, which surged 32 sen each to RM10.22 and RM32.20, respectively, while Fraser & Neave Holdings increased 30 sen to RM26.50, Kuala Lumpur Kepong inched up 20 sen to RM21.64, and YTL Power International put on 19 sen to RM5.35.
Of the top losers, Malaysian Pacific Industries fell RM2.10 to RM43.20, Nestle dropped RM1.50 to RM130.30, Kelington Group declined 30 sen to RM8.70, Vitrox Corporation shed 23 sen to RM9.03, and Kluang Rubber Co slid 20 sen to RM6.44.
On the index board, the FBM 70 Index fell 30.01 points to 18,144.10, the FBM Emas Shariah Index declined 10.61 points to 12,647.96, the FBM Emas Index weakened 1.89 points to 12,835.73, the FBM Top 100 Index gave up 2.09 points to 12,654.13, and the FBM ACE Index decreased 16.41 points to 5,312.35.
By sector, the Plantation Index rose 76.38 points to 9,404.81, the Energy Index improved 3.05 points to 778.19, and the Financial Services Index garnered 5.52 points to 20,281.00, while the Industrial Products and Services Index slipped 0.66 of a point to 186.89.
-- BERNAMA