Bursa Malaysia ends morning session marginally lower
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended the morning trading session slightly lower today, weighed down by a lack of fresh catalysts and mirroring the trend of key regional indices.
At 12.30 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 1.42 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 1,571.60 from Thursday's close of 1,573.02.
The benchmark index opened 2.58 points higher at 1,575.60 and thereafter fluctuated between 1,570.20 and 1,580.06 throughout the session.
The broader market was negative with 589 decliners outpacing 286 gainers, while 423 counters were unchanged, 1,098 untraded and eight suspended.
Turnover stood at 1.85 billion shares worth RM1.03 billion.
ActivTrades trader Anderson Alves said Asian equities underperformed today, as mixed economic data from the United States influenced market movements ahead of monthly options expiry.
"Traders are also closely monitoring developments on the tariff front, which could impact Asian markets," he said.
On the home front, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) announced that the Malaysian economy expanded by 4.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 (1Q 2025), driven by sustained household spending supported by favourable labour market conditions and government policies. The country's GDP stood at 4.2 per cent in 1Q 2024.
Among heavyweights, Maybank rose two sen to RM10.12, Tenaga Nasional was flat at RM14.20, IHH Healthcare fell two sen to RM7.01, while both Public Bank and CIMB eased one sen to RM4.50 and RM7.15 respectively.
For active stocks, West River added one sen to 36.5 sen, Sumisaujana, NexG and Pertama Digital all gained half a sen to 19.5 sen, 36.5 sen and 13 sen, respectively, while Ekovest lost 1.5 sen to 37.5 sen and Nationgate slipped four sen to RM1.68.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index dropped 37.47 points to 11,736.54, the FBMT 100 Index declined 32.29 points to 11,487.19, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index dipped 42.96 points to 11,675.66.
The FBM 70 Index slid 134.45 points to 16,676.73 and the FBM ACE Index fell by 27.47 points to 4,747.67.
Across sectors, the Financial Services Index declined 16.68 points to 18,453.81, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down by 0.12 of-a-point to 159.67, the Energy Index shed 9.78 points to 727.56, and the Plantation Index slipped 12.29 points to 7,375.81. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
28 minutes ago
- The Sun
Malaysia's International Reserves Rise to US$119.6 Billion in May 2025
BNM's international reserves increase to US$119.60 billion as at May 30 KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's international reserves grew marginally to US$119.60 billion (RM506.63 billion) as at May 30, 2025, from US$119.10 billion (RM504.51 billion) recorded as at May 15, 2025, according to Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). In a statement today, the central bank said the reserves position is sufficient to finance 5.0 months of imports of goods and services, and is 0.9 times the total short-term external debt. The main components of the reserves were foreign currency reserves (US$106.4 billion), the International Monetary Fund reserve position (US$1.3 billion), special drawing rights (SDRs) (US$5.8 billion), gold (US$3.8 billion) and other reserve assets (US$2.3 billion). Total assets amounted to RM627.92 billion, comprising gold and foreign exchange and other reserves, including SDRs (RM530 billion), Malaysian government papers (RM12.92 billion), deposits with financial institutions (RM4.26 million), loans and advances (RM27.00 billion), land and buildings (RM4.58 billion), and other assets (RM49.16 billion). The central bank said total capital and liabilities amounted to RM627.92 billion, comprising paid-up capital (RM100 million), reserves (RM193.24 billion), currency in circulation (RM172.90 billion), deposits by financial institutions (RM131.81 billion), federal government deposits (RM5.44 billion), other deposits (RM82.37 billion), Bank Negara papers (RM10.56 billion), allocation of SDRs (RM28.38 billion), and other liabilities (RM3.12 billion).
Focus Malaysia
an hour ago
- Focus Malaysia
Banking sector resilient with provision buffers ahead of global headwinds
THE quarter one 2025 (1Q25) reporting season came in broadly within expectations. Seven of the eight banks under Hong Leong Investment Bank's coverage (Affin, Alliance, AMMB, CIMB, Maybank, Public Bank, and RHB) delivered results that tracked closely with their forecasts. The lone exception was BIMB, which missed due to higher-than-anticipated credit costs. 'Stripping out non-recurring items from 4Q24, core earnings dipped 3.4% quarter-on-quarter (qoq),' said Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB). This came despite a 3.6% rise in pre-impairment operating profit (PIOP), which was supported by positive JAWs (+0.3ppt) and robust non-interest income growth (NOII; +7%). The drag came from higher loan loss provisions (+11.6%) and a weaker contribution from associates (-27.3%). Net Interest Margins (NIM)s were broadly stable, with Affin standing out positively (+7 basis points). Sector core earnings rose 4.1%, underpinned by lower loan loss provisions (-22.9%) and stronger associate contributions (+31.2%). PIOP grew modestly by 1.1%, with net interest income (NII) up +3.4%, partially offset by a dip in NOII (-1.3%). Cost control remained commendable, with operating expenses rising 2.9%. Top performers were Affin (+12.6%) and Alliance (+11.1%), with both delivering robust NII growth, alongside effective cost and provision management, respectively. Both loan and deposit growth moderated, reflecting festive seasonality and FX volatility. Banks continued to pull back from expensive deposit campaigns to protect NIMs. Meanwhile, Alliance was the only bank to post double-digit loan and deposit growth. Asset quality remained firm, with the sector gross impaired loan (GIL) ratio ticking up 1 basis point QoQ to 1.38%. 'Heading into 2Q25, we expect NIMs in 2Q25 to hold up reasonably well sequentially,' said HLIB. HLIB sees three key forces at play: fresh liquidity from the recent SRR cut, easing deposit competition, and a sector-wide pivot to more disciplined loan expansion and funding strategies. This proactive stance is already visible, with banks cutting promotional/campaign FD rates by 5-15 basis points in May, ahead of a potential overnight policy rate cut, though the full margin benefit may only materialize in the second half of 2025. Beyond margins, the bedrock of asset quality is expected to remain solid, supported by resilient domestic economic conditions and minimal US trade exposure. 'While acknowledging risks from the secondary impacts of trade uncertainty, we believe any potential weakness will be well-contained,' said HLIB. The sector is significantly more resilient than in previous downturns, primarily due to the formidable provision buffers accumulated over the past five years. This 'fortress of provisions' provides a robust defence, capable of absorbing any stress and cushioning the GIL ratio, which currently stands near historical lows. 'We reiterate our overweight stance on the Malaysian banking sector, viewing the KLFIN Index's 7% year to date decline as a strategic opportunity to build positions ahead of an anticipated market recovery in the latter half of 2025,' said HLIB. —June 9, 2025 Main image: European Commission
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Vios Challenge joins Super GT weekend lineup at Sepang
KUALA LUMPUR: Vios Challenge, the popular one-make series, is set to make its international event debut as a support race for the Malaysian round of the Autobacs Super GT at Sepang Circuit on June 26-28. The Vios Challenge will feature a special one-hour race format for the event instead of its usual 30-minute format. The race will feature three categories - Super Sporting, for professional drivers, Sporting (amateur) and Rookie Class (young development drivers). The Vios Challenge is currently in its eighth season and is one of the most accessible grassroots racing platforms in Malaysia. UMW Toyota Motor president Datuk Ravindran Kurusamy said the series has played an important role in driving talent development in Malaysia. "The Vios Challenge has served as a proven springboard for local talent, and to now have our drivers compete on the same stage as international teams at Super GT marks a defining milestone," said Ravindran in a statement released today (June 9). "Looking ahead, Toyota intends to broaden our motorsports footprint by establishing a clearer progression path for our Toyota Gazoo Racing (TGR) Rookies, enabling their natural graduation into higher-level racing categories. "Plans are underway to form Toyota Gazoo Racing Malaysia (TGRMY), a factory racing team to participate in regional motorsport series to strengthen Malaysia's presence in the sport." The Vios Challenge is one of two support races for the Super GT weekend at Sepang, the other being the GR86 Cup Malaysia Series. UMW Toyota Malaysia and TGR Malaysia are the title sponsor for the Malaysian round of Super GT which is making its return to Malaysian soil this year after a 12-year hiatus.
