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.
Malaysia’s market opened with mixed signals as strong global sentiment contrasts with local profit-taking , while the IMF upgraded the country’s 2026 GDP outlook , reinforcing medium-term optimism. Wall Street Gains on Easing Geopolitical Risks US markets closed mostly higher as optimism grew that the US-Iran conflict may be nearing an end : S&P 500 +0.8% Nasdaq Composite +1.59% Dow Jones Industrial Average -0.15% Technology stocks led gains, driven by continued AI enthusiasm and corporate developments : Tesla +7.6% on AI chip progress Oracle +4.2% on energy deal Lower geopolitical risks are expected to ease oil prices and inflation pressures , supporting equities. KLCI Slips on Profit-Taking in Heavyweights The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI edged 0.28% lower to 1,683.42 , as gains were capped by profit-taking in financial and utility stocks . Top gainer: Axiata Group +3.72% ...