KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended higher on Friday as investors continued to accumulate blue-chip stocks in line with stronger performances across most regional markets. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 4.50 points to 1,724.90 from yesterday’s close of 1,720.40. The benchmark index opened 0.83 of a point higher at 1,721.23, and moved between 1,715.67 and 1,730.12 throughout the day. The broader market was positive with gainers outpacing losers 707 to 402, while 547 counters were unchanged, 1,085 untraded and 56 suspended. Turnover expanded to 3.03 billion units valued at RM3.56 billion from 2.49 billion units valued at RM2.25 billion on Thursday.
Airline stocks have been soaring this earnings season, with investors watching closely as Southwest (LUV) and American Airlines (AAL) report. These results will be key to confirming whether the airline sector's comeback has real lift—or is just turbulence ahead. Sector Overview: The U.S. Global Jets ETF is up ~10% in July , showing renewed optimism. Still, airline stocks lag the broader S&P 500 , which is up 7% YTD . Delta (DAL) and United (UAL) already delivered strong earnings , boosting confidence. Now, all eyes are on LUV and AAL to validate the recovery narrative . Southwest Airlines (LUV) Stock YTD: +10% in 2025 Q2 Earnings: EPS: $0.43 (missed estimate of $0.51) Revenue: $7.2B (slightly below $7.3B est.) Key Change: Charging for checked baggage (a historic shift after 54 years) May cause market share loss in some cities Expected to...