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.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) , the world's largest contract chipmaker, reported a forecast-beating 54% jump in Q3 profit , driven by booming demand for AI-related chips . The company expects sustained strong growth, forecasting fourth-quarter revenue of US$26.1 billion to US$26.9 billion , up from US$19.62 billion a year earlier. In Q3, TSMC's net profit hit a record T$325.3 billion (RM43.39 billion) , surpassing analyst predictions of T$300.2 billion . Revenue for the quarter rose 36% year-on-year to US$23.5 billion , above the company's previous estimates. TSMC, a key supplier for Apple and Nvidia , has been significantly investing in production capacity, forecasting capital expenditure for 2024 at over US$30 billion . The company is building three factories in Arizona , with the first expected to start production in 2025 and the second by 2028 . Despite challenges from rivals Intel and Samsung , TSMC remains a dominant player, and its shares have ...