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.
The healthcare sector heads into one of its busiest earnings weeks in a deep slump. The S&P 500 Health Care Sector Index is down 9% in the past year, while managed-care stocks have plunged 50%. Drugmakers and biotech have also struggled, trailing the broader S&P 500’s 17% gain. Who Reports This Week? Tuesday: UnitedHealth (UNH), Merck (MRK) Wednesday: Humana (HUM), AbbVie (ABBV) Thursday: Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), CVS Health (CVS) Friday: Moderna (MRNA) Next Week: Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer 4 Big Questions Investors Are Asking: 1️⃣ Can UnitedHealth Recover Under New Leadership? CEO Andrew Witty stepped down; Stephen Helmsley returns to lead. The company pulled its full-year guidance after a 27% stock plunge in April tied to Medicare Advantage woes. Analysts expect new guidance between $18–$19 EPS , far below last year’s $27.66. 2️⃣ Will Pharma Weather Tariff Risks? Trump signaled pharma-specific tariffs ...