KUALA LUMPUR: A broad sell-off swept Bursa Malaysia, sending the FBM KLCI to its lowest since December 2025, with banking stocks among the biggest drags.
The benchmark FBM KLCI tumbled 21.57 points, or 1.32%, to 1,611.78, its lowest since Dec 10, 2025.
The index traded within a 22.99-point range, between an intraday high of 1,633.54 and a low of 1,610.55.
In the broader market, decliners outpaced advancers, with 663 stocks ending lower while 491 closed higher. This gave a market breadth ratio of 0.74, signalling that selling pressure dominated.
Among the FBM KLCI component stocks, banks were among the biggest losers. CIMB fell 4.8%, or 37 sen, to RM7.33, AmBank dropped 4.48%, or 29 sen, to RM6.18, Hong Leong Bank declined 2.6%, or 58 sen, to RM21.50, while RHB Bank
lost 2.4%, or 18 sen, to RM7.25.
Public Bank slid 1.7%, or eight sen, to RM4.59, while Maybank declined 1%, or 10 sen, to RM9.87.
Dealers said the banking sell-off was not confined to the local market, with financial stocks across the region also coming under pressure amid concerns over rising long-term bond yields.
“Higher bond yields could put further pressure on banks’ trading books and earnings, keeping sentiment towards the sector cautious in the near term,” a dealer said.
On the broader market, F&N fell 94 sen to RM20.78, Allianz eased 44 sen to RM20.18 and Heineken declined 18 sen to RM13.
Among the gainers, MI Technovation rose 38 sen to RM6.38, Batu Kawan gained 32 sen to RM19.60, Malaysian Pacific Industries added 24 sen to RM45.20 and Gas Malaysia climbed 16 sen to RM5.25.
Local institutions remained net buyers at RM51mil, while retail investors and foreign institutions were net sellers at RM45mil and RM6mil, respectively, on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the ringgit slipped 0.05% against the US dollar to 4.0877, but was flat against the Singapore dollar at 3.1954.
The local currency rose 0.36% against the euro to 4.5767 and edged down 0.07% versus the pound sterling to 5.4128.
Across the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index fell 0.92%, with most regional bourses ending lower.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed down 0.92% at 70,035.71, while South Korea’s Kospi slid 1.98% to 6,803.90.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng ended 0.62% lower at 24,130.50, while Taiwan’s Taiex declined 0.03% to 49,806.37. Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 1.58% to 5,611.36.
Chinese markets remained closed for the National Day holidays and will resume trading on Oct 8.
