Bursa Malaysia Ends Higher On US-Iran Peace Talk Optimism

By Danni Haizal Danial Donald

KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended Tuesday’s trading session higher, in line with gains across regional markets, as sentiment improved on expectations of potential peace talks between the United States (US) and Iran.

At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 7.60 points, or 0.45 per cent, to 1,688.12 from Monday’s close of 1,680.52.

The benchmark index opened 10.44 points higher at 1,690.96 moved between 1,686.06 and 1,694.16 throughout the day.  

In the broader market, gainers outpaced losers 663 to 455, while 537 counters were unchanged, 1,061 untraded and 12 suspended.

Turnover eased to 2.85 billion units worth RM2.67 billion from Monday’s 2.94 billion units worth RM2.64 billion.

IPPFA Sdn Bhd investment strategy director and country economist Mohd Sedek Jantan said market sentiment improved after US President Donald Trump signalled a willingness to resume negotiations with Iran,  spurring appetite for risky assets and easing concerns over crude supply disruptions in West Asia.

He said risk sentiment has also improved as Trump indicated that Iran had reached out seeking fresh negotiations, reinforcing expectations of a potential diplomatic pathway despite recent tensions.

“Improving conditions have begun to shift investor sentiment, albeit within a still-fragile market backdrop, as reflected in a modest rotation out of US dollar holdings and a renewed appetite for risk assets,” he told Bernama.

On the domestic front, Mohd Sedek said foreign investor sentiment continued to improve, with Malaysia recording a fifth consecutive day of net foreign inflows as of yesterday.

“This sustained return of foreign participation suggests a gradual rebuilding of confidence in domestic equities, although conviction remains measured amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty,” he said.

Among heavyweights, Maybank gained six sen to RM11.04, while Public Bank and IHH Healthcare rose four sen each to RM4.64 and RM8.75, respectively. Tenaga Nasional added 14 sen to RM14.32 and CIMB climbed 16 sen to RM7.55.

On the most active list, Velesto Energy slipped two sen to 32.5 sen, MMAG was flat at four sen, Zetrix AI gained one sen to 77 sen, Bumi Armada eased half-a-sen to 39.5 sen, and V.S. Industry inched up half-a-sen to 18.5 sen.

Among top gainers, Malaysian Pacific Industries increased 74 sen to RM30.64, Fraser & Neave garbered 62 sen to RM29.80, Ajinomoto jumped 42 sen to RM12.56, Pentamaster surged 37 sen to RM3.47, and Kelington leapt 28 sen to RM5.31.

Top losers included Petronas Dagangan, which fell 76 sen to RM20.54, Kuala Lumpur Kepong slid 38 sen to RM21.46, Dutch Lady Milk slid 20 sen to RM31.80, Quality Concrete tumbled 19 sen to RM1.08, and Petronas Gas lost 18 sen to RM18.26.

On the index board, the FBM Top 100 Index rose 72.82 points to 12,251.89, the FBM Emas Index added 72.98 points to 12,406.25, the FBM Mid 70 Index climbed 179.41 points to 17,376.26, the FBM Emas Shariah Index gained 45.53 points to 12,312.59, and the FBM ACE Index advanced 56.80 points to 4,467.71.

By sector, the Financial Services Index surged 173.98 points to 19,672.87, the Industrial Products and Services Index perked up 0.47 of-a-point to 187.65, while the Plantation Index fell 28.11 points to 8,940.78 and the Energy Index shed 8.17 points to 823.53.

The Main Market volume increased slightly to 1.57 billion units valued at RM2.38 billion from Monday’s 1.54 billion units valued at RM2.40 billion.    

Warrants turnover declined to 854.73 million units worth RM117.69 million from 980.67 million units worth RM131.27 million yesterday.  

The ACE Market volume expanded to 431.21 million units valued at RM167.65 million compared to 417.61 million units valued at RM111.03 million previously.

Consumer products and services counters accounted for 162.58 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (286.66 million), construction (159.94 million), technology (199.37 million), financial services (72.34 million), property (139.29 million), plantation (35.57 million), real estate investment trusts (10.54 million), closed-end fund (nil), energy (274.56 million), healthcare (125.52 million), telecommunications and media (31.33 million), transportation and logistics (20.09 million), utilities (48.34 million), and business trusts (66,300).

-- BERNAMA