Bursa Malaysia Opens Second Half of 2026 Higher on Improved Global Risk Appetite
KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — Bursa Malaysia began trading for the second half of 2026 on a positive note as improving global sentiment, supported by gains on Wall Street and optimism surrounding reported progress in US-Iran peace discussions, encouraged buying interest during the early session.
The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) edged higher after the opening bell, reflecting a cautious but constructive mood among investors following stronger performances in major US equity markets overnight.
At 9.16am, the FBM KLCI stood at 1,664.65, up 0.59 points from Tuesday’s close of 1,664.06 after opening at 1,665.35, representing an initial gain of 1.29 points.
Overall market participation was positive, with advancing stocks comfortably outnumbering decliners. A total of 238 counters gained, compared with 111 losers, while 304 stocks traded unchanged. Another 1,968 securities remained inactive and 14 counters were suspended.
Early market turnover reached approximately 190.88 million shares valued at RM103.19 million.
Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd Vice-President of Equity Research Thong Pak Leng said investor sentiment continued to benefit from the stronger overnight performance of US equities, where technology shares led broader market gains.
He added that the improving geopolitical outlook following developments in negotiations between the United States and Iran also contributed to stronger risk appetite among investors globally.
On the domestic front, Thong noted that bargain hunting during Tuesday’s afternoon trading session had helped the local benchmark recover from its intraday lows despite generally cautious market conditions.
He expects the FBM KLCI to continue trading within a relatively narrow range of 1,660 to 1,670 points as investors assess both domestic developments and external market catalysts.
Among heavyweight counters, trading was mixed during the opening session.
Maybank Holdings remained unchanged at RM10.78, while Public Bank held steady at RM4.80 and IHH Healthcare was also unchanged at RM8.40.
Tenaga Nasional declined eight sen to RM14.20, whereas CIMB Group advanced four sen to RM7.45.
Among actively traded stocks, Tanco Holdings and Pegasus Heights were unchanged at 17.5 sen and 0.5 sen, respectively.
Dagang NeXchange gained two sen to 43.5 sen, while NationGate Holdings added 2.5 sen to 91.5 sen. Salutica slipped one sen to nine sen.
The list of leading gainers featured several technology-related companies.
Malaysian Pacific Industries surged 70 sen to RM50.36, while Critical Holdings climbed 32 sen to RM1.41.
Vitrox Corporation rose 23 sen to RM7.99, KESM Industries added 17 sen to RM4.20, and UWC advanced 14 sen to RM6.77.
Among the day’s weaker performers, Kawan Renergy lost eight sen to 43 sen, Gamuda declined seven sen to RM4.30, while Sealink International and TradePlus each fell six sen to 28 sen and RM5.04, respectively. Kluang Rubber also retreated four sen to RM5.86.
Broader market indices also recorded gains during early trading. The FBM Emas Index advanced 17.80 points to 12,402.91, while the FBM Top 100 Index rose 15.36 points to 12,230.40.
The FBM Emas Shariah Index gained 11.11 points to 12,294.96, the FBM Mid 70 Index increased 69.20 points to 17,986.67, and the FBM ACE Index climbed 17.48 points to 4,840.91.
Sector performance was mixed. The Financial Services Index strengthened by 29.48 points, supported by buying in banking counters, while the Energy Index posted modest gains. The Industrial Products and Services Index also edged higher, whereas the Plantation Index slipped slightly during the morning session.
