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.
The latest US tariff wave may hurt Asia-Pacific (Apac) overall , but Malaysia and several peers could gain market share through trade triangulation , according to Moody’s Ratings . What Moody’s Says: The new US tariffs are credit negative for Apac , particularly for economies tied closely to China. However, countries with mid-range tariffs (10–30%) — like Malaysia, India, and the Philippines — may benefit as companies reroute trade flows to access the US market. This shift may boost Malaysia’s role in the regional supply chain, particularly in electronics and manufacturing . Key Opportunities: Trade triangulation : Companies may export goods to the US via Malaysia or relocate production to avoid steep China tariffs. Intra-regional investment is expected to grow as companies seek resilience in their supply chains. “Lower-tariff countr...