Bursa benchmark closes at session high with 0.21 per cent gain
Trading volume rose to 3.18 billion units, while market breadth was nearly balanced with 529 declining stocks and 528 gainers.
Malaysia’s FBM KLCI finished trading on October 23, 2026 at 1,611.56, its highest level of the session, after adding 3.42 points, or 0.21 per cent. An analyst attributed the modest advance to purchases of selected heavyweight stocks despite cautious sentiment.
The benchmark had ended the previous session at 1,608.14. It opened at 1,607.63 before touching a mid-morning low of 1,604.38.
Across the exchange, 529 stocks fell and 528 advanced. Another 532 were unchanged, with 1,312 untraded and 16 suspended. Trading volume reached 3.18 billion units, compared with Thursday’s 2.89 billion, while transaction value fell to RM2.47 billion from RM2.69 billion.
Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng told Bernama that sentiment remained fragile after a technology-led Wall Street decline. The Nasdaq dropped 2.6 per cent overnight amid fresh concerns about financing and profitability in artificial intelligence investment, he said. He viewed the KLCI holding above 1,600 positively, but said buying conviction remained modest.
Among heavyweight stocks, Maybank added nine sen to RM10.06, while Public Bank gained four sen to RM4.75. TNB rose six sen to RM13.30. CIMB stayed at RM7.15, and IHH Healthcare lost nine sen to RM7.90.
Sector indices were mixed. Financial services gained 49.32 points to 18,654.32, plantations added 14.80 points to 8,677.48 and energy rose 2.87 points to 834.67. Industrial products and services slipped 0.05 of a point to 175.40.
