KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia’s benchmark index rebounded from earlier losses to close at its intraday high on Wednesday, gaining 0.27 per cent in late trading as buying interest returned to selected heavyweights. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) advanced 4.48 points to 1,676.83 from Tuesday’s close of 1,672.35. The benchmark index opened 0.88 of-a-point lower at 1,671.47 and subsequently hit a low of 1,665.94 during the mid-morning session before gaining momentum toward closing. On the broader market, losers led gainers by 565 to 512, while some 526 counters were unchanged, 1,046 untraded, and 10 suspended. Turnover improved to 2.73 billion units worth RM2.76 billion versus Tuesday’s 2.66 billion units worth RM2.76 billion. Dealers said that investors were cautious following geopolitical developments in Asia.
Meta Platforms, Broadcom and Oracle attracted the largest bullish block option trades among tech stocks on Wednesday, even as overall markets came under pressure while investors assessed the outlook for U.S. interest rates in 2026.
Huge Meta Call Option Signals Strong Bullish Sentiment
The biggest block trade saw an investor pay US$22.7 million in premium for call options giving the right to buy 300,000 Meta shares at US$600 within 72 days.
Although Meta trades above that level (US$645.41), the total cost including premium (~US$675.65) signals confidence that the stock could move higher.
Sentiment toward Meta has improved as:
The company tightens cost controls
Shifts from open-source to a closed AI model
Investors view the stock as oversold, with 7 of 15 technical indicators flashing signals of a potential rebound
Meta is also preparing to unveil a new AI model, “Avocado,” distilling techniques from Google’s Gemma, OpenAI’s gpt-oss and Alibaba’s Qwen, according to Bloomberg.
Meta’s Big AI Spend Faces Pressure
Despite optimism, Meta continues to face scrutiny over:
Heavy AI infrastructure spending
Falling free cash flow (now 24% of revenue, down from a 5-year average of 28%)
Deep losses in Reality Labs, its VR division
Reality Labs lost US$13.17 billion in the first nine months of 2025
Cumulative losses exceed US$60 billion
The company reportedly plans to raise VR hardware prices and ship new devices at a slower pace to reduce losses.
Broadcom Attracts Major Bullish Bet Ahead of Earnings
The second-largest block trade involved a buyer paying US$7.24 million for call options on 270,000 Broadcom shares at US$400 expiring in 37 days.
This comes a day before the semiconductor giant reports fiscal fourth-quarter results, and follows a US$153 millionBroadcom call-option block posted earlier in the week.
Oracle Also Draws Interest
Oracle also appeared among the top bullish option trades, as investors positioned ahead of earnings and reacted to recent volatility in AI-related stocks.
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