FBM KLCI hits five-week high, ringgit at nine-month peak
The FBM KLCI rose for the fourth straight session, gaining 8.57 points or 0.56% to close at 1,541.53 — its highest level since late May. Today's gain was the largest since June 23, when the index rose 0.92%.
Market breadth was positive, with gainers outpacing losers 565 to 389, while 464 counters remained unchanged. Total trading volume reached 2.05 billion shares, valued at RM2.15bil.
On the forex market, the ringgit rose 0.38% against the US dollar to 4.1933, its highest since October 2024.
The local currency edged up 0.02% against the Singapore dollar to 3.3010, while it fell 0.17% against the pound sterling to 5.7756 and dropped 0.37% against the euro to 4.9516.
According to Bloomberg, Malaysia's ringgit strengthened to a nine-month high, driven by strong foreign bond inflows and a weaker US dollar.
The rally was further supported by easing global trade tensions and growing foreign interest in local government bonds.
On Bursa Malaysia, Nestle jumped 78 sen to RM77.50, Tenaga Nasional added 52 sen to RM14.90, Kuala Lumpur Kepong rose 38 sen to RM21.08 and Chin Tek climbed 21 sen to RM9.40.
Among the losers, F&N slid 38 sen to RM29.08, PETRONAS Dagangan fell 26 sen to RM21.26, Eurospan lost 14 sen to RM2.16 and SHH Resources declined 13 sen to RM1.12.
Gamuda was the top contributor to the index's gain and posted the biggest move, rising 3.76% or 18 sen to RM4.97.
CelcomDigi was the biggest drag on the index, falling 2.04% or six sen to RM3.85, marking the largest decline among KLCI constituents.
Dealers said the FBM KLCI extended its gains on sustained foreign interest, a stronger ringgit, and improved regional sentiment, with easing trade tensions and continued fund inflows supporting investor confidence.
Meanwhile, stock market data showed that foreign investors bought RM66mil worth of equities on Monday.
Local institutions and retailers were net sellers, offloading RM28mil and RM38mil, respectively.
Regional markets closed mixed, with gains in South Korea, China, and Singapore offset by losses in Japan and Hong Kong.
Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.24%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closed down 0.87%.
South Korea's Kospi rose 0.58%, China's CSI 300 Index added 0.17%, and Singapore's Straits Times Index closed up 0.7%.
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Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Bursa Malaysia dips for second day as weak sentiment persists
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Bursa Malaysia closed 0.34 per cent lower on Tuesday, marking its second straight day of decline, as the lack of buying support and absence of strong cues from key regional indices continued to weigh on sentiment. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) erased 5.19 points to 1,519.40 from yesterday's close of 1,524.59. The benchmark index opened 1.70 points higher at 1,526.29 at the opening bell and moved between 1,518.75 and 1,527.90 throughout the trading session. The market breadth was negative, with 591 losers overtaking 412 gainers and 472 counters unchanged, while 1,004 were untraded and seven suspended. Turnover fell to 2.82 billion shares worth RM2.05 billion from 3.5 billion shares worth RM2.68 billion on Monday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the FBM KLCI trended lower due to the lack of buying support as most key regional indices ended in negative territory amid cautious trading ahead of the Aug 1 deadline for potential US trade tariffs. 'Investors are wary of various external factors given the increasing regional market volatility and uncertainties on global economic prospects. 'We reckon the short-term outlook to remain jittery although bargain hunting may prevail, hence, we expect the FBM KLCI to trend range-bound hovering within 1,510-1,540 for the remainder of the week with immediate support at 1,510 and resistance at 1,530,' he told Bernama. UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan said Malaysia's June Consumer Price Index by the Department of Statistics Malaysia offered a temporary reprieve, with June's headline inflation moderating further to 1.1 per cent year-on-year from 1.2 per cent in May, which is the softest print in 2025. 'Therefore, the FBM KLCI registered a marginal decline for the second consecutive session, underscoring a risk-averse market posture amid divergent sectoral performances. 'This disinflationary trend provided a tailwind for consumer-oriented equities, particularly within retail trade and consumer discretionary segments, as market participants priced in the prospect of sustained household consumption despite persistent fiscal uncertainties surrounding the expansion of the Sales and Service Tax and a lacklustre external demand environment,' he added. On the capital flows front, foreign institutional investors reverted to net selling positions yesterday, after a brief interlude of net buying. 'This reversal suggests sustained risk-off sentiment linked to external trade policy risks, with particular market sensitivity to the impending deadline of Malaysia's bilateral tariff negotiations with the United States, a key event risk that could shape investor positioning in the near term,' he said. Regionally, market sentiment received a slight lift from Hong Kong, where the Hang Seng Index posted its third successive daily gain, advancing 0.5 per cent to close at 25,130.03, the highest level in over a year. Elsewhere, Singapore's Straits Times Index declined 0.24 per cent to 4,196.98, South Korea's Kospi dropped 1.27 per cent to 3,169.94, and Japan's Nikkei 225 retreated 0.11 per cent to 39,774.92. Of the heavyweight stocks, Maybank and Public Bank perked one sen each to RM9.53 and RM4.31, CIMB earned three sen to RM6.55, Tenaga Nasional was flat at RM13.78 while IHH Healthcare dropped three sen to RM6.60 Among the most active stocks, Tanco up half-a-sen to 91 sen, Zetrix down one sen to 92.5 sen, NexG was flat at 50.5 sen and Pharmaniaga lost half-a-sen to 21.5 sen. On the broader index board, the FBM Emas Index fell 42.20 points to 11,419.73, the FBMT 100 Index shed 42.88 points to 11,181.94, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index dropped 62.36 points to 11,447.35. The FBM 70 Index dipped 84.01 points to 16,555.87, while the FBM ACE Index trimmed 13.08 points to 4,624.60. By sector, the Energy Index edged up 0.67 of a point to 740.17, but, the Financial Services Index decreased 9.74 points to 17,310.67, the Plantation Index slipped 24.89 points to 7,396.15 and the Industrial Products and Services Index erased 1.60 points to 154.04. The Main Market volume narrowed further to 1.18 billion units valued at RM1.73 billion from 1.38 billion units valued at RM2.27 billion on Monday. Warrant turnover fell to 1.31 billion units worth RM205.15 million from 1.75 billion units worth RM265.26 million previously. The ACE Market volume dropped to 322.4 million units valued at RM109.22 million from 363 million units from valued at RM147.63 million previously. Consumer products and services counters accounted for 176.58 million shares traded on the Main Market; industrial products and services (199.34 million), construction (107.34 million), technology (219.35 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (64.74 million), property (167.49 million), plantation (10.88 million), REITs (22.49 million), closed-end fund (5,000), energy (50.69 million), healthcare (76.35 million), telecommunications and media (39.95 million), transportation and logistics (24.88 million), utilities (22.21 million), and business trusts (308,300). — Bernama
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New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
MARKET PULSE PM JULY 22, 2025 [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: News on stock, crypto and ringgit moves. The FBM KLCI extended its losses from the previous day, ending five points lower at 1,519. Zetrix AI, Tanco Holdings, and Pharmaniaga were among the most actively traded stocks. As for the ringgit, the local currency ended the day marginally stronger against the US dollar at 4.2310. In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin is trending upward but remains just below the RM500,000 mark at RM498,996. Meanwhile, Ethereum is experiencing a slowdown, hovering around RM15,412. That's it for Market Pulse. Keywords: Bitcoin Cryptocurrency Bursa Malaysia Ethereum Fbm Klci Pharmaniaga Tanco Market Pulse Zetrix Ai
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Bursa Malaysia dips for second day as telco stocks drag
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended slightly lower for the second day in a row, reflecting a cautious market sentiment amid mixed performances across sectors. At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) slipped 0.34 per cent or 5.19 points to close at 1,519.40, down from Monday's 1,524.59. The broader market was negative, with 591 losers outpacing 411 gainers, while 473 counters remained unchanged. UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan said telecommunications stocks continued to underperform, weighing down the benchmark index. He said this is a surprising trend considering the favourable macroeconomic backdrop of mild inflation and anticipated strong second-quarter gross domestic product growth. "This underperformance likely reflects idiosyncratic sectoral headwinds, possibly linked to regulatory overhangs or competitive pressures. "Nonetheless, from a strategic asset allocation perspective, we remain constructive on real estate investment trusts, which may offer yield stability amid an evolving global monetary policy landscape that is increasingly skewed towards a dovish bias in the latter half of 2025," he said. Sedek said foreign institutional investors returned to net selling yesterday, following a short period of net buying. He added that the shift signals ongoing risk-off sentiment stemming from worries over external trade policies. Markets remain cautious ahead of the approaching deadline for Malaysia's bilateral tariff talks with the United States, a key event that could impact investor behaviour in the near term.
