KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended at its intraday low on Thursday as investor sentiment remained cautious amid ongoing foreign outflows, although the recent weakness may present bargain-hunting opportunities in fundamentally sound blue-chip counters. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 9.33 points, or 0.54 per cent, to 1,708.36, from yesterday’s close of 1,717.69. The benchmark index, which opened 3.74 points higher at 1,721.43, hit an intraday high of 1,722.50 in early trade before losing momentum for the rest of the day. Market breadth was negative, with losers outpacing gainers 656 to 508, while 565 counters were unchanged, 989 untraded and 32 suspended. Turnover fell to 3.49 billion units worth RM3.70 billion compared with 4.15 billion units worth RM4.29 billion on Wednesday.
Asian banks’ record lending surge into the Gulf is facing a major stress test as escalating tensions involving Iran threaten broader financial instability across the Middle East. Record Lending Now Under Pressure Asian and Chinese banks extended over US$15 billion in loans to the Middle East in 2025 , triple the previous year and the highest on record, according to Bloomberg-compiled data. Most of the financing flowed into: Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates The region has become a key destination for Asian capital as Gulf states push forward with large-scale economic transformation and infrastructure projects. Key Point: A record US$15 billion Gulf lending boom is now at risk due to escalating geopolitical tensions. Conflict Raises Financial Uncertainty The latest escalation — involving US and Israeli missile strikes on Iran — has heightened concerns that the conflict could disrupt capital flows and reshape regional lending strategies. Economists suggest banks may: Tighten exposur...