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 latest investment data underscores a key theme: resilience amid volatility , with capital flows holding steady even as global markets grapple with geopolitical and macroeconomic pressures. Stable Investment Flows Signal Confidence Approved investments came in at RM92.8 billion for 1Q2026 , broadly unchanged year-on-year. While headline growth appears modest, the underlying message is more constructive: Investor confidence in Malaysia remains intact despite external headwinds. Foreign investments continued to dominate at 60.5% (RM56.2 billion) , while domestic investments rose 13% , providing a strong internal growth buffer. Job Creation Surge Points to Higher-Quality Investments The standout figure is the sharp rise in employment impact: Projected jobs surged 46.7% to over 50,000 This suggests a shift toward: More labour-intensive and value-added projects Stronger economic spillover effects Increased focus on long-term industrial and servic...