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.
Manufacturing activity across Asia remained in expansion territory in March , but signs of slowing momentum are emerging as rising energy prices from the Middle East conflict begin to weigh on the region. Growth Holds, but Momentum Weakens S&P Global data showed that several economies, including South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand , recorded improved factory activity. Thailand led the region with a PMI of 54.1 Malaysia returned to expansion after a prior contraction South Korea also showed strong improvement However, the broader ASEAN Manufacturing PMI slipped to 51.8 , down from February’s 53.8 , marking the slowest pace of expansion since September . While still above the 50-point threshold , the data highlights a clear loss of growth momentum . War-Driven Energy Shock Weighs on Industry The slowdown comes as the US-Israel conflict with Iran disrupts energy markets , particularly via the Strait of ...