Bursa Malaysia likely to see volatile trading amid positive outlook next week
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia is expected to see some volatile trading next week, albeit market optimism is supported by improving global sentiment, a dealer said.
UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan said the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) remains in a constructive outlook in near-term trajectory.
He said the optimism is supported by easing United States (US)-China trade tensions, rising foreign inflows into Malaysian assets, and a strengthening ringgit.
"That said, investors should also be prepared for heightened volatility next week as central banks in Australia, China and Indonesia are set to announce monetary policy decisions.
"The benchmark index has broken through the 1,555 resistance level -- last tested in March amid heightened US tariff speculations -- and briefly touched 1,586 on May 15, setting the stage for a potential move toward the 1,600 psychological threshold," he told Bernama.
On Friday, Bank Negara Malaysia announced that the Malaysian economy expanded by 4.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 (1Q 2025) against 4.2 per cent in 1Q 2024, driven by sustained household spending supported by favourable labour market conditions and government policies.
Meanwhile, Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng noted that investors attention will also focus on a slew of economic data such as the eurozone core consumer price index (CPI), China's industrial production figures and updates from US Federal Open Market Committee.
"We expect the benchmark index to stay range-bound for the coming week, awaiting fresh catalysts," he added.
On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the barometer index increased 25.25 points to 1,571.75 from 1,546.50 a week earlier.
The FBM Emas Index climbed 256.66 points to 11,746.04, the FBMT 100 Index advanced 215.46 points to 11,472.70, the FBM Emas Shariah Index garnered 283.83 points to 11,674.18, the FBM 70 Index surged 427.87 points to 16,702.41, and the FBM ACE Index rose 116.66 points to 4,765.86.
Across sectors, the Financial Services Index bagged 246.70 points to 18,487.65, the Industrial Products and Services Index added 7.39 points to 159.68, the Energy Index added 34.41 points to 729.38, the Plantation Index gained 101.82 points to 7,385.59.
However, the Healthcare Index slid 62.08 points to 1,880.34.
Turnover improved to 14.98 billion units valued at RM12.68 billion from 14.27 billion units valued at RM11 billion in the preceding week.
The Main Market volume expanded to 7.46 billion units worth RM11.37 billion against 6.95 billion units worth RM10.36 billion previously.
Warrants turnover was higher at 5.59 billion units worth RM703.66 million versus 5.38 billion units worth RM724.18 million a week ago.
The ACE Market volume narrowed to 1.93 billion units valued at RM601.97 million from 1.95 billion units valued at RM499.42 million previously.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
37 minutes ago
- The Sun
Three UK universities offer tuition discount for MARA students
LONDON: Three leading universities in the United Kingdom have agreed to offer tuition fee discounts of between 10 and 20 percent for students sponsored by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), said its chairman, Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki. He said the discounts, secured through discussions between MARA and the universities' top management, could save more than RM100,000 per student annually. The three institutions are Warwick University and Birmingham University, which have agreed to a 20 percent discount, while the University of Edinburgh is offering 10 percent. 'To illustrate, Warwick University is offering a discount of up to £6,000 a year. For a typical three-year undergraduate programme, that amounts to £18,000, around RM110,000 in total, significantly reducing the cost,' he said at a press conference today. Asyraf Wajdi is currently in the UK for strategic meetings with senior leadership and renowned senior academics at the University of Cambridge, as well as several other universities. He said there are currently 1,508 MARA-sponsored students pursuing their studies in the UK. He added that the Cambridge University Trust has expressed interest in collaborating with MARA through a co-funding arrangement for postgraduate research students at the Master's and PhD levels. 'Insya-Allah, if all terms are finalised, MARA could save up to RM5 million through this initiative,' he said. He described the partnership as part of MARA's strategic agenda to ensure Malaysian students are not only competitive on a national level but also on par with their global peers in academic and professional arenas. In addition, he said Cambridge University has also agreed to send a delegation to Malaysia to engage with Maktab Rendah Sains MARA International General Certificate of Secondary Education (MRSM IGCSE). He said the initiative aligns with MARA's decision to establish a dedicated academic feeder pathway for MRSM students to gain entry into top global universities. Asyraf Wajdi added that the collaboration would also open doors for 9,987 MARA educators across its vocational colleges, MARA universities, and MRSMs to participate in knowledge exchange programmes. 'These educators will have opportunities for joint research and to pursue postgraduate studies in strategic fields at Cambridge. 'These include renewable energy, artificial intelligence (AI), social sciences, quantum technology, blockchain, the Internet of Things (IoT), entrepreneurial innovation and other emerging disciplines that will shape the future global economy,' he said.
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
KL International Book Fair: Platform for foreign publishers to enter local market
KUALA LUMPUR: The Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF) 2025 serves as an important platform for foreign publishers to enter the local market and attract Malaysian readers. Maria Mahat, co-founder of Ungu Pen, a Singapore-based publisher, shared that her company's participation in the fair served to introduce Malaysian readers to her company's offerings and allowed them to build closer relationships. 'At Ungu Pen, we publish a lot of Malay and bilingual Malay-English books, especially children's books. So, we want to test the market here since we are close and have languages in common. 'We don't have a specific sales target as we are still new and not well known but Alhamdulillah, there are books that have sold out and we want them to know that there are foreign publishers that publish Malay books of quality that suit readers here,' she told Bernama here recently. She also said that the books her company publishes focus on children, and are come with unique features such as the use of dyslexia-friendly fonts and digital elements such as animation, songs and augmented reality (AR), which make reading more interactive and fun. Unggu Creative founder, Dr Noridah Kamari said that she decided to join the fair for the first time this year to introduce her books to Malaysian readers and form closer ties with local writers and readers. 'We have attended KLIBF as visitors before, this is our first year as an exhibitor. We want to test the market and see how well Singapore books are accepted by readers here. 'Our focus isn't just to sales, but more towards building a social network with readers and writers, especially from Malaysia. This is because Malaysian writers are involved in our publications, such as the Kayu Api magazine that features their works,' she said. Meanwhile, Muhammad Yusuf from Indonesian publisher Gema Insani said this year was the third time his company joined the fair, and they were sharing a booth with two other publishers from home. 'We are sharing a booth together with Pustaka Al-Kautsar and Gulalibooks and we believe that the potential of the Malaysian market is big with the positive response from chidlren, students and adults. 'The books we carry, include those by famous icon Buya Hamka, historical comics and children's books, match the interest of readers here,' he said. This year's book fair bears the theme 'Buku: Membaca, Memimpin' and ends today after starting on May 23, with over 1,000 exhibition booths by almost 300 local and foreign publishers.
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Asean urged to embrace digital tech
- Illustrative photo. - The Nation/ANN BANGKOK: Experts and industry leaders gathered in Bangkok at the 4th World Digital Economy and Technology Summit on Friday (May 30), calling for further utilisation of digital technologies to overcome challenges amid global turbulence and enhance competitiveness in the rapidly evolving digital economy. Under the theme "Harnessing the Digital Revolution for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future", the summit brought together about 200 government leaders, technology pioneers, corporate innovators and academic experts to explore the immense opportunities and pressing challenges. "We are standing at the crossroads of an unprecedented technological revolution. This summit serves as a vital platform to ensure that innovation drives not just growth, but also sustainability and inclusivity," said Michael Yeoh, president of the World Digital Chamber and the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific, a Malaysian think tank. "We believe that digital technology can be for the common good of mankind and humanity. Digital transformation can make companies and countries better in the future," Yeoh said. In his speech at the summit, Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, president of Thailand's Digital Economy Promotion Agency, emphasised the need for smart public-private partnerships to close digital divides within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, region. Nuttapon said Thailand's burgeoning software and digital service industries hold immense potential to catalyse economic growth and create new jobs. Chonladet Khemarattana, president of the Thai Fintech Association, suggested that countries should leverage technology to make financial systems more efficient and enhance regional cooperation and sustainable development in the digital economy. "Starting with basic services like mobile banking, we can expand to include more services for those underserved," Chonladet said. As artificial intelligence has become a global trend, the summit also included a panel discussion on how AI is transforming business and society. Chhem Siriwat, co-founder and president of the AI Forum and adviser at BowerGroupAsia in Cambodia, said AI is shifting the economy from efficiency to intelligence across various industries such as manufacturing, finance and retail. He called for AI that is not only smart but also wise, advocating for sustainable digital economy practices, transparent governance, inclusive access to AI education, and global cooperation on AI ethics. He stressed the importance of connecting AI transformation to values, ensuring that profit is not the only measure, and that productivity is matched with purpose. Organised by the World Digital Chamber and the KSI Strategic Institute for Asia Pacific, this year's summit was also supported by the China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable as a media partner. The 2026 summit will have an expanded agenda and a renewed focus, including climate-tech and ethical AI. - The Nation/ANN
