Bursa Malaysia Ends At Two-month High On Positive Sentiment

By Abdul Hamid A Rahman

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia’s key index closed higher today on bargain hunting, in line with positive investor sentiment across regional markets, consolidating at its highest level in more than two months — a level last seen on Oct 2, 2025.

At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 12.42 points, or 0.76 per cent, to 1,637.81, compared with Thursday’s close of 1,625.39.

The benchmark index opened 2.83 points lower at 1,622.56, thereafter edged down to an early low of 1,622.03, before staging an uptrend to an intraday high of 1,640.36 in late trading.

Market breadth was positive, with gainers trouncing decliners at 743 versus 387. Another 530 counters were unchanged, 1,108 untraded, and 16 suspended.

Turnover increased to 3.09 billion units worth RM2.46 billion from 2.99 billion units worth RM2.35 billion on Thursday.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said the FBM KLCI ended higher on continued bargain-hunting.

“Regional markets also closed higher, supported by positive sentiment from Wall Street on expectations of a dovish US Federal Reserve, following its recent rate cut and plans to resume asset purchases,” he told Bernama.

Back home, Thong said the benchmark index has surpassed the 1,630 resistance level and now needs to remain above this threshold to pave the way for a move towards 1,650.

“Sustained consolidation above 1,630 would signal improving investor confidence and indicate that the recent gains are more than just a short-term rebound.

“With trading activity staying healthy and domestic fundamentals remaining supportive, the index is well positioned to strengthen further — especially if market sentiment stays stable and foreign fund inflows improve,” he added.

Meanwhile, IPPFA Sdn Bhd director of investment strategy and country economist Mohd Sedek Jantan said that the FBM KLCI first crossed the 1,640 level at 4.33 pm and made several attempts to hold above this threshold before settling just below it at the close.

“Today’s rebound has helped narrow the year-to-date performance to –0.28 per cent, reflecting improved market sentiment following recent volatility,” he said.

Mohd Sedek said that sentiment was further supported by a robust set of Malaysia’s economic data releases today.

“Although these indicators are inherently lagging, the consistency across all three data points, manufacturing, industrial production, and wholesale & retail trade, reinforces the view that Malaysia’s underlying economic momentum remains intact in the fourth quarter of 2025 and going into 2026,” he said.

Among heavyweights, Maybank added four sen to RM10.30, Public Bank rose five sen to RM4.47, CIMB Group gained two sen to RM7.90, Tenaga Nasional advanced 28 sen to RM13.02, and IHH Healthcare climbed 21 sen to RM8.61.

On the most active list, Velesto Energy perked up half-a-sen to 28 sen, Tanco Holdings added three sen to RM1.18, Perak Transit gained three sen to 31.5 sen, while Zetrix AI and Borneo Oil were flat at 83.5 sen and half-a-sen, respectively.

The top gainers included BLD Plantation which jumped RM1.16 to RM16.20, Petronas Gas advanced 42 sen to RM17.70, LPI Capital rose 22 sen to RM14.96, and PGF Capital climbed 15 sen to RM1.93.

Among the top losers, Nestle fell 90 sen to RM113.30, Batu Kawan slipped 10 sen to RM19.26, Ajinomoto shed 10 sen to RM13.68, Sungei Bagan Rubber declined nine sen to RM5.53, and Telekom Malaysia lost eight sen to RM7.80.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index jumped 90.37 points to 12,074.03, the FBM Emas Shariah Index gained 86.44 points to 11,909.20, the FBMT 100 Index climbed 86.43 points to 11,863.30, the FBM 70 Index increased 106.10 points to 16,736.67, and the FBM ACE Index added 46.13 points to 4,758.19.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index rose 69.22 points to 19,221.70, the Plantation Index put on 17.09 points to 8,151.27, the Industrial Products and Services Index ticked up 1.63 points to 169.17, and the Energy Index perked up 4.99 points to 767.79.

The Main Market volume improved to 1.64 billion units worth RM2.19 billion from 1.47 billion units worth RM2.10 billion on Thursday.

Warrants turnover declined to 1.04 billion units worth RM141.19 million against 1.17 billion units worth RM134.84 million previously.

The ACE Market volume expanded to 397.29 million units valued at RM121.52 million versus 344.31 million units valued at RM117.09 million yesterday.

Consumer products and services counters accounted for 280.25 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (278.28 million), construction (130.42 million), technology (235.04 million), financial services (84.55 million), property (174.03 million), plantation (17.88 million), real estate investment trusts (21.36 million), closed-end fund (8,100 shares), energy (225.53 million), healthcare (97.22 million), telecommunications and media (26.57 million), transportation and logistics (42.47 million), utilities (30.21 million), and business trusts (nil).

-- BERNAMA