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.
Market Highlights Nikkei 225 rose +2.1% to a record 42,715.72 , breaking the previous peak of 42,426.77 (July 11, 2024). Topix also hit a new all-time high, extending a rally that began July 24. Gains driven by tech stocks : SoftBank Group +6.7% after reports it’s selecting banks for a US IPO of PayPay . Advantest and Lasertec +5%+ each on semiconductor strength. Drivers & Context Global Momentum – Nikkei follows the S&P 500 and MSCI World Index, which hit record highs since June, boosted by AI enthusiasm . Catch-Up Rally – Earlier lag due to weak chip and auto stocks; recent tech rebound pushed Nikkei past resistance. SoftBank Catalyst – IPO of PayPay seen as a major liquidity event; could boost SoftBank’s tech portfolio value. Caution Flags Tech-Led Peak Risk – Portfolio managers warn Nikkei could “soon peak” if U.S. tech momentum slows. Foreign Flows Reversal – Oversea...