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.
A new wave of Chinese fund managers is proving that understanding youth culture isn’t just for marketing — it’s also driving real alpha. Take Xie Tianyuan , a 30-year-old at Penghua Fund. This year, his fund has surged 24% , ranking in the top 3% out of nearly 2,300 Chinese peers, according to East Money data. The secret? Dumping traditional giants like Kweichow Moutai and jumping headfirst into stocks riding the Gen Z consumption wave — names like Pop Mart , the company behind the cult-favorite Labubu dolls. Xie says he doubled down on Pop Mart after witnessing its frenzied popularity abroad, particularly in Thailand. He believes Gen Z’s "emotional spending" — fueled by social media and fandom culture — is creating new consumption trends that many older managers fail to appreciate. His approach shows up across the portfolio: big bets on cosmetics brand Mao Geping , pet product maker Yantai China Pet Foods , and others targeting nich...