KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed higher, buoyed by Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) decision to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 2.75 per cent, alongside positive cues from Wall Street. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 19.30 points, or 1.19 per cent, to 1,635.86 from Wednesday’s close of 1,616.56. The benchmark index opened 6.72 points higher at 1,623.28, and fluctuated between an intraday high of 1,642.44 and a low of 1,622.62 during the trading session. However, market breadth was negative, with losers outnumbering gainers 723 to 497, while 466 counters were unchanged, 1,075 untraded and 10 suspended. Turnover rose to 3.74 billion units valued at RM3.61 billion compared with yesterday’s 2.81 billion units valued at RM2.57 billion.
Hybrid vehicles accounted for 32.8% of all new car sales in the European Union (EU) in September, surpassing the market share of petrol-powered vehicles for the first time, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) . The overall car market in the EU saw a 6.1% decline in sales year-on-year, with major markets like Germany, France, and Italy continuing to stagnate. The growth in hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) sales reflects a trend where consumers view hybrids as a more affordable compromise between combustion and all-electric vehicles (EVs) . However, sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have slowed due to differing policies on green incentives and the imposition of tariffs on cheaper Chinese EV imports. In total, electrified vehicles — which include BEVs, PHEVs, and HEVs — made up 56.9% of new passenger car registrations in September, up from 50.3% the previous year. Hybrid electric vehicle sales inc...