KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia remained firmer at midday, supported by selective buying in key index-linked counters.
At midday, the FBM KLCI rose 5.46 points, or 0.31%, to 1,758.29, hovering near its intraday high of 1,759.21.
Market breadth was positive, with 515 gainers outpacing 421 decliners, while 521 counters were unchanged. Turnover amounted to 1.45 billion shares valued at RM1.2bil.
“The FBM KLCI is poised to stay range-bound, with firm resistance at 1,771 as investors navigate peak earnings season, hawkish Fed signals and lingering Middle East tensions,” Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd Research said.
The research house noted that the fresh tariff measures by U.S. President Donald Trump following the US Supreme Court ruling on IEEPA add another layer of uncertainty, prompting businesses and investors to closely monitor implementation details and policy direction.
Nonetheless, it views any pullback as temporary and constructive, driven by de-risking rather than fundamental weakness, underpinned by resilient GDP growth, undemanding valuations with stronger 2026 earnings prospects, renewed foreign inflows, a firmer ringgit and potential export support following the US Supreme Court’s tariff ruling.
Meanwhile, TA Securities said softening momentum across technical and trend indicators suggests the FBM KLCI is likely to consolidate within a narrow range in the coming week.
“In the absence of fresh domestic catalysts, the benchmark is expected to remain in a holding pattern as investors adopt a cautious, wait-and-see stance.
“On the external front, escalating US-Iran geopolitical tensions are likely to reinforce risk-off sentiment across regional markets, keeping participants guarded and limiting near-term upside potential.”
Gainers on Bursa Malaysia included Nestle, which surged RM2.50 to RM112.20, PPB Group, which rose 22 sen to RM11.08 and Malaysian Pacific Industries
climbed 18 sen to RM30.76.
United Plantations Bhd, which declared a total dividend of 81 sen per share, rose 58 sen to RM30.58.
It announced a final single-tier dividend of 51 sen per share and a final special single-tier dividend of 30 sen per share for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2025.
Meanwhile, Hong Leong Financial Group slid 42 sen to RM21.78, Malayan Cement lost 21 sen to RM8.48, Bintulu Port fell 15 sen to RM5.35, and Press Metal declined 15 sen to RM7.55.
