KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia rebounded to end higher on Tuesday after two straight sessions of losses, outperforming most regional markets.
At 5pm, the 30-stock FBM KLCI rose 5.25 points to 1,750.56. The benchmark index traded within a 7.09-point range, hitting an intraday high of 1,755.54 and a low of 1,748.45.
In the broader market, gainers and decliners were nearly balanced, with 590 gainers against 583 decliners, while 595 counters remained unchanged. Trading activity was brisk, with 4.92 billion shares worth RM3.6bil changing hands.
Dealers said buying interest emerged in selected heavyweights following the recent pullback, while investors remained cautious ahead of Malaysia’s first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) data due later this week.
Additionally, they said sentiment was also shaped by external uncertainties, including developments surrounding US President Donald Trump’s visit to China and ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
Technology and semiconductor-related stocks continued to attract investor interest, dominating the gainers’ list on Bursa Malaysia.
Malaysian Pacific Industries
surged RM1.26 to RM42.26, while UMS Integration jumped 88 sen to RM8.
UWC added 25 sen to RM5.72, Pentamaster rose 18 sen to RM4.43 and Unisem climbed 16 sen to RM3.91.
Among the decliners, Nestle fell RM1.46, while Batu Kawan lost 32 sen to RM21.08. PETRONAS Dagangan eased 26 sen to RM20.32 and Hong Leong Bank declined 24 sen to RM22.10.
According to data on Bursa Malaysia, foreign investors acquired RM22mil worth of equities on Monday.
Local institutions and retailers, on the other hand, sold equities worth RM13mil and RM9mil respectively.
On the forex market, the ringgit eased 0.24% to 3.9335 against the US dollar but inched up 0.05% to 3.0892 against the Singapore dollar.
On the external front, Asian markets ended mostly lower, with South Korea’s KOSPI falling 2.29% to 7,643.15 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slipping 0.22% to 26,347.91.
China’s CSI 300 Index declined 0.08% to 4,948.05, while the Shanghai Composite Index eased 0.25% to 4,214.49.
Japan’s Nikkei 225, however, rose 0.52% to 62,742.57.
Meanwhile, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index fell 1.23%.
