BURSA MALAYSIA ENDS MARGINALLY HIGHER AS INVESTORS DIGEST CORPORATE EARNINGS

By Abdul Hamid A Rahman

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed slightly higher today as investors digested corporate earnings releases and monitored regional market developments.

At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) added 2.66 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 1,614.20 from Wednesday’s close of 1,611.54.

The benchmark index opened 2.62 points higher at 1,614.16 and moved between 1,611.62 and 1,615.18 throughout the trading session.

Market breadth was negative with 607 losers trouncing 393 gainers, while 514 counters were unchanged, 1,196 untraded, and 101 suspended.

Turnover increased to 3.46 billion units worth RM2.62 billion compared with 2.73 billion units worth RM2.37 billion on Wednesday.

IPPFA Sdn Bhd director of investment strategy and country economist Mohd Sedek Jantan said consumer and utilities counters led the gainers among key index constituents, reflecting continued optimism towards Malaysia’s economic prospects and trade outlook.

“Across the region, Asian markets were mixed following the meeting between United States President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping in South Korea, which resulted in a broad agreement to ease trade tensions.

“Globally, sentiment remained cautious despite the US Federal Reserve reducing its federal funds rate by 25 basis points to 3.75–4.00 per cent, signalling a more accommodative stance amid signs of slowing global growth,” he told Bernama.

On the local front, Mohd Sedek noted that sentiment turned more cautious after Bursa Malaysia Bhd reported softer earnings for the first nine months of 2025 and a downward revision to its full-year performance targets, which suggests ongoing normalisation in trading activity. 

Among heavyweights, Maybank and Tenaga Nasional rose two sen each to RM9.89 and RM13.32 respectively, Public Bank added three sen to RM4.22, while CIMB Group slipped seven sen to RM7.31, and IHH Healthcare eased five sen to RM8.20.

On the most actives list, Borneo Oil, Zetrix AI and TWL Holdings were all unchanged at half-a-sen, 81.5 sen, and 2.5 sen, respectively. Perak Transit eased two sen to 36.5 sen and Tanco added half-a-sen to 93 sen.

Top gainers included Nestle which surged RM1.30 to RM110.50, Chin Teck Plantations advanced 42 sen to RM11.74, LEAP Market debutant LPC Group soared 40 sen to 50 sen, Petronas Dagangan climbed 38 sen to RM22.68, and United Plantations firmed 36 sen to RM24.64.

Among the top losers, Malaysian Pacific Industries tumbled 86 sen to RM30.26, LTKM declined 12 sen to RM1.44, Oriental Holdings shed 10 sen to RM6.83, Heitech Padu slipped nine sen to RM1.91, and Southern Cable lost eight sen to RM2.04.

-- BERNAMA