KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Bursa Malaysia is expected to see an uptrend this week as the market should remain constructively supported, said an analyst.
SPI Asset Management managing partner Stephen Innes noted that gains in Bursa Malaysia were likely to be measured rather than aggressive.
"A softer US dollar, stable global growth expectations and easing front-end US yields would provide a favourable external backdrop. In short, the setup remains one of steady carry and selective risk-taking rather than broad-based risk-chasing,” he told Bernama.
The latest US nonfarm payrolls (NFP) released on Friday registered at 50,000 in December 2025, well below market expectations of at least 60,000 jobs.
The US NFP is a key indicator of consumer spending and overall economic activity in the US.
A dealer said the latest data suggested a potential slowdown in the US economy.
Meanwhile, Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said the brokerage remained constructive on the benchmark index’s near-term prospects as upward momentum continues to build.
Overall, he said the FBM KLCI was still in a healthy uptrend across short- to long-term timeframes while market momentum remained supportive, and recent pullbacks appeared to be healthy consolidations rather than signs of trend reversal.
"We expect the FBM KLCI to trade in the 1,670-1,700 range over the near term,” he told Bernama.
During the week just ended, Bursa Malaysia traded rangebound during the week before rebounding to end the week higher, with the FBM KLCI hitting a more than six-year high due to continued buying of blue-chip stocks and in line with the positive performance of most regional markets.
On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the FBM KLCI garnered 16.78 points to 1,686.54 from last week’s 1,669.76.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index surged 208.07 points to 12,464.51, the FBMT 100 Index jumped 193.59 points to 12,252.25, the FBM Emas Shariah Index went up 181.41 points to 12,247.91, the FBM 70 Index garnered 596.77 points to 17,449.24, and the FBM ACE Index added 78.22 points to 5,001.49.
By sector, the Financial Services Index expanded by 452.96 points to 20,042.95, the Plantation Index climbed 219.49 points to 8,490.58, the Industrial Products and Services Index added 1.17 points to 173.33, while the Energy Index gained 14.45 points to 781.22.
Weekly turnover improved to 13.54 billion units worth RM13.50 billion from 7.88 billion units valued at RM7.42 billion a week earlier.
The Main Market volume went up to 7.41 billion units worth RM11.96 billion, versus 4.58 billion units valued at RM6.75 billion previously.
Warrants turnover rose to 3.98 billion units valued at RM520.40 million from 2.16 billion units valued at RM229.36 million a week ago.
The ACE Market volume widened to 2.15 billion units valued at RM1.02 billion from 1.13 billion units valued at RM444.17 million last week. -- Bernama
