KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended higher on Tuesday, outperforming most regional markets as investors continued to rotate towards commodity and plantation-related stocks, an analyst said. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 7.47 points, or 0.43 per cent, to 1,733.36 compared with Monday’s close of 1,725.89. The benchmark index opened 1.63 points higher at 1,727.52, and fluctuated between 1,723.60 and 1,734.53 throughout the day. On the broader market, losers outpaced gainers 762 to 438, while 576 counters were unchanged, 1,075 untraded and 16 suspended. Turnover expanded to 3.74 billion units valued at RM2.91 billion from 3.45 billion units valued at RM2.74 billion on Monday.
The STI session was less about broad index direction and more about sector rotation and balance-sheet sensitivity as investors recalibrated around rates, FX, and earnings visibility.
STI Winners: Defensive + FX-leveraged names bid
Top gainer
- Wilmar International (+3.4%)A classic defensive + FX beneficiary. Stronger regional currencies and stable agri margins continue to draw flows, especially as investors trim bank exposure.
Other gainers:
- Singtel (+0.45%)Yield visibility + balance-sheet stability remain attractive in a “no policy shock” environment.
- UOL Group (+0.49%)Mild recovery bid as property names stabilize ahead of policy clarity.
STI Laggards: Banks de-rated on NIM risk
Top loser
United Overseas Bank (-2.53%)
Also weak:
OCBC Bank (-1.17%)
What’s driving this:
Markets are quietly pricing peak NIMs
Lower long-end yields + expectations of eventual policy easing = pressure on bank earnings momentum
Not a credit issue — a valuation and rate-cycle issue
SG REITs: Selective inflows, FX matters
Top REIT gainer
- Elite UK REIT (+1.41%)GBP exposure + overseas income streams look more attractive as FX volatility stabilises.
Top REIT loser
- KepPacOak REIT (-2.22%)US office + refinancing sensitivity continues to cap upside.
Read-through:
This isn’t a blanket REIT rally — investors are discriminating heavily by geography, FX and balance-sheet duration.
Liquidity Check: Most-traded names
DBS Group (-0.61%) was the most active name (S$224.7m turnover)
Banks dominated volumes → institutional rebalancing, not panic selling
High turnover + moderate declines = distribution, not capitulation
Trading Takeaways
What worked
Defensive yield
FX-beneficiaries
Non-financials with stable cash flow
What struggled
Banks with peak-margin exposure
REITs with US office / refinancing risk
How to position
Barbell approach: defensives + selective cyclicals
Be patient on banks — better re-entry likely after rate clarity
Prefer REITs with non-USD income or strong FX tailwinds
Bottom line
This was a rotation day, not a risk-off day.
Money isn’t leaving Singapore — it’s getting more selective.
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