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.
Unilever is making "drastic" changes in its Indonesian operations , according to Chief Financial Officer Fernando Fernandez , as the company grapples with consumer boycotts of multinational brands in response to the ongoing war in Gaza . These boycotts have worsened the company's distribution challenges in the region. Unilever, known for brands like Dove , Knorr , and Ben & Jerry's , first reported in February that Southeast Asian sales had taken a hit due to Indonesian shoppers boycotting multinational brands, linked to the geopolitical situation in the Middle East . Speaking after delivering slightly better-than-expected quarterly sales, Fernandez said Unilever plans to make its brands more "contemporary" to adapt to the significant societal changes taking place in Indonesia. He expects improvement over the next six months. Unilever’s Indonesian unit reported an 18% drop in third-quarter revenue , largely driven by a decline in volumes. CEO Hein...