Bursa Malaysia Higher As AI Optimism, Firm Commodities Offset Geopolitical Concerns

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia remained in positive territory at mid-afternoon, rising 0.33 per cent, supported by gains in artificial intelligence (AI)-related and metals-linked counters, as stalled US-Iran talks heightened concerns over supply disruptions, thereby underpinning commodity prices.

Stronger China gross domestic product (GDP), which expanded 5.0 per cent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, and renewed enthusiasm surrounding AI boosted investor sentiment, although a lack of progress in peace talks kept gains modest.

At 3 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) edged up 5.79 points to 1,726.13 from last Friday’s close of 1,720.34.

The benchmark index opened 4.13 points higher at 1,724.47.

Market breadth was negative, with losers outpacing gainers 507 to 419, while 517 counters were unchanged, 1,305 untraded and 67 suspended.

Turnover totalled 2.25 billion units valued at RM1.87 billion.

Gainers in the heavyweight counters was led by Press Metal, which surged 5.46 per cent or 46 sen, at the time of writing, to RM8.88 with 9.79 million shares traded.

Press Metal is the largest integrated aluminium producer in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, Telekom Malaysia emerged among the top gainers after it announced a dividend payout policy and revised it to a minimum of 75 per cent of reported profit after tax and minority interest (PATAMI), payable quarterly, compared with between 40 per cent and 60 per cent of reported PATAMI introduced in 2018, where payouts were on a semi-annual basis.

Commodity-related counters namely, SD Guthrie and Sime Darby joined the gainers list after Malaysia announced it will ramp up biodiesel mandate to B15, potentially lifting palm oil demand by 300,000 tonnes yearly.

Among other heavyweights, Maybank fell four sen to RM11.12, Public Bank slipped one sen to RM4.81, Tenaga Nasional added two sen to RM14.68, CIMB Group erased eight sen to RM7.72, IHH Healthcare eased six sen to RM8.76. 

On the most active list, Luster Industries was flat at four sen, Inari Amertron was 24 sen better at RM2.06, Zetrix AI unchanged at 86.0 sen, VS Industry was 1.5 sen lower at 21 sen, and Mega Fortris was five sen lower at RM1.26.

Top gainers included Nestle, which added 40 sen to RM99.70, F&N was 24 sen higher at RM30.54, and Unisem rose 22 sen to RM3.30.

Top losers included United Plantations, which fell 72 sen to RM31.60, Hong Leong Financial, lost 26 sen to RM19.04, Hong Leong Bank was 22 sen easier at RM22.56.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index rose 47.89 points to 12,763.61, the FBMT 100 Index garnered 51.17 points to 12,600.47, the FBM Emas Shariah Index gained 99.69 points to 12,686.31, the FBM 70 Index jumped 112.08 points to 18,184.51, but the FBM ACE Index fell 21.16 points to 4,631.16.

By sector, the Financial Services Index slumped 107.67 points to 20,115.14, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged up 3.30 points to 195.66, the Energy Index climbed 3.19 points to 833.50, and the Plantation Index shed 8.92 points to 8,836.33.

-- BERNAMA