KUALA LUMPUR, July 29 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia rebounded to close higher on Wednesday on selective buying of defensive stocks after a volatile trading session. IPPFA Sdn Bhd director of investment strategy and country economist Mohd Sedek Jantan said consumer products and services stocks lifted the key index higher, overcoming lingering geopolitical concerns. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 3.08 points to 1,715.56 from yesterday’s close of 1,712.48. The benchmark index, which opened 1.91 points higher at 1,714.39, moved between 1,710.79 and 1,720.59 during the day’s trading. In the broader market, gainers outstripped decliners 550 to 476, while 612 counters were unchanged, 1,129 untraded, and 48 suspended. Turnover rose to 2.96 billion units valued at RM2.48 billion from 2.94 billion units valued at RM2.56 billion on Tuesday.
Investor Takeaway : Bright spots : GDB, Kerjaya, Southern Cable, and Malayan Flour Mills delivered record or strong results with dividends, reinforcing themes of construction momentum, infrastructure demand, and consumer staples resilience. Headwinds : Retail (AEON), transport/shipping (MISC, PetDag), and legacy media (Media Chinese) face structural challenges. Strategic moves : Gamuda’s dual wins in highways and renewables, plus FGV’s delisting, point to long-term sectoral shifts in Malaysian infrastructure and plantations. Consumer & Retail AEON (KL:AEON) – Q2FY25 net profit slumped 55.9% YoY to RM12.3m , its weakest in nearly two years. Revenue slipped 2.1% to RM999.7m on weaker retail sales, partly cushioned by property management income. No dividend. Ajinomoto (KL:AJI) – Q1FY25 net profit rose 27.7% YoY to RM24.2m , supported by higher sales (+5.5%) and lower input costs. No dividend. Pecca (KL:PECCA) – Q4FY25 net profit fell 7.2% YoY ...