Malaysia Market Review: The FBM KLCI fell 0.23% on Tuesday, due to profit-taking activities in selected heavyweights such as CIMB and TENAGA. Market breadth was negative, with 666 decliners outpacing 448 gainers. Sector-wise, Finance (+0.29%), Telecommunications & Media (+0.20%) and Consumer (+0.08%) led gains, while Utilities (-1.47%), Plantation (-1.12%) and Industrial Products (-1.09%) were the main laggards.
Global Markets. Wall Street ended higher overnight, with the Dow (+0.76%), S&P 500 (+0.77%) and Nasdaq (+1.04%) supported by gains in software and semiconductor stocks. Sentiment was underpinned by a surge in AMD after securing a major AI chips deal with META. In Europe, the STOXX 600 edged up 0.23%, as investors maintained a measured stance while digesting tariff developments. Asian markets were mixed, with the Shanghai Composite (+0.87%) closed higher after a long holiday break and the Hang Seng (-1.32%) closed lower.
Market Outlook.Global markets remain cautious as investors focus on upcoming earnings from NVIDIA on Wednesday. This will draw intense attention from investors on future AI demand. Lingering concerns persist following the US implementation of a 15% global tariff, which may continue to weigh on market sentiment going forward. Against this backdrop, the FBM KLCI is expected to trade range-bound in the near term, as investors remain selective amid mixed regional cues and are likely to focus on assessing upcoming corporate earnings, while persistent external uncertainties may cap near-term upside.
Sector focus.We favour the consumer sector, supported by ringgit strength that should ease imported cost pressures alongside a tourism rebound under Visit Malaysia 2026 that is expected to lift domestic spending. Meanwhile, banking and REITs remain attractive given their stable earnings visibility and attractive dividend yields.
FBMKLCI Technical Outlook
Technical Commentary: Late session buying interest allowed the FBM KLCI to pare earlier losses and closed slightly lower on Tuesday. Momentum remains mixed, with the MACD line trading below the signal line and the RSI above 50. Resistance is located at 1,775, while support is envisaged around 1,720.
Company News (source: various)
PETRONAS Gas Bhd 4QFY2025 net profit fell 12.7% YoY to RM363.9m on weaker gas transportation earnings and absence of a major one-off tax gains, bringing FY2025 dividend to 72 sen per share.
PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd 4QFY2025 net profit rose 3.9% to RM258.9m, with revenue surging 17.6% to a record RM10.58b. The Group declared 46 sen dividend for the quarter, bringing FY2025 payout to RM1.12 per share.
IOI Corporation Bhd posted 2QFY2026 net profit of RM528.5m, up nearly fivefold YoY on forex gains. CPO prices seen supported above RM4,000/tonne despite weaker downstream outlook.
Mr DIY Group (M) Bhd will distribute 120% of FY2025 earnings as dividends, with total payout of RM758m (8 sen/share) after net profit rose 11.2% to RM632.7m.
Frontken Corporation Bhd posted record FY2025 net profit of RM154.2m (+15.1% YoY), driven by Taiwan operations. The company plans to expand capacity to meet growing AI and HPC demand.
Gas Malaysia Bhd 4QFY2025 net profit declined 22.5% YoY to RM87.4m on lower average natural gas contribution margins and higher operational costs. The company declared 8.5 sen dividend this quarter.
Unisem (M) Bhd 4QFY2025 net profit jumped sixfold to RM52.1m on one-off gains from the dissolution of foreign subsidiaries and higher sales volume. The group declared a dividend of one sen this quarter, bringing FY2025 dividend to a total of 7 sen per share.
Oriental Kopi Holdings Bhd 1QFY2026 net profit rose 30.2% to RM17.1m as revenue hit record RM139.2m, supported by outlet expansion and packaged food sales.
Solarvest Holdings Bhd 3QFY2026 net profit grew 46.3% to RM21.0m on utility-scale solar farm projects. The company 9MFY2026 earnings surged 77.1%, putting the group on track for a record year.
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| Currency | Buy Rates (RM) | Sell Rates (RM) |
|---|---|---|
| USD | 3.879490 | 3.910828 |
| EUR | 4.586505 | 4.596176 |
| CNY | 0.565924 | 0.567111 |
| HKD | 0.495908 | 0.499928 |
| SGD | 3.062969 | 3.087829 |