KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian stock market was optimistic ahead of this evening's tabling of Budget 2025, registering 499 positive counters with gains across all the broader market sectors.
The blue-chip FBM KLCI paced steadily higher over the early session to enter the lunch break with a 5.57-point lead at 1,647.01.
The index sat atop the 50-day simple moving average as investors awaited fresh catalysts from the Budget to trigger a breakout.
Trading volume on the broader market, however, was subdued with 1.28 billion shares changing hands for RM972.96mil.
The financial services sector was among the most improved with gains in Hong Leong Bank, up 12 sen to RM21.18 and Public Bank adding three sen to RM4.57, LPI Capital climbing four sen to RM13.04 and AEON Capital jumping eight sen to RM7.16.
Bursa Malaysia's property index was also mildly positive, building on the previous day's gains on expectations of more stimulus for the sector.
SP Setia rose three sen to RM1.42, Sime Darby Property
added three sen to RM1.54, Eco World Development gained three sen to RM1.87 and Matrix Concepts climbed six sen to RM2.10.
Of actives, WCT rose 1.5 sen to 93 sen, Bina Puri gained 1.5 sen to 36 sen and MYEG was up one sen to 90.5 sen.
In Asia, Reuters reported that China was in focus as the central bank launched a swap facility to boost the equity market.
However, other regional markets were only mildly higher due to data pointing towards a slowdown in the world's second largest economy.
China's composite index rose 0.67% to 3,190 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.75% to 20,229.
Japan's Nikkei gained 0.1% to 38,942 and Singapore's Straits Times index rose 0.25% to 3,634.
