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.
Bandai Namco Holdings Inc is reducing its workforce and discontinuing several game titles as rising costs and plateauing demand hit the gaming industry. The company, known for iconic games like Pac-Man , Dragon Ball , and Gundam , is facing pressure to cut costs as the post-pandemic gaming boom fades. The Tokyo-based company is reportedly using "expulsion rooms" (oidashi beya) to encourage voluntary resignations. Approximately 200 employees from affiliate Bandai Namco Studios Inc have been sent to these rooms since April, with nearly 100 resigning so far. The company denied that these rooms are intended to pressure employees, stating that staff are simply awaiting new assignments as projects emerge. Bandai Namco has been forced to cancel or pause development on several high-profile titles, including games based on popular anime Naruto and One Piece , as well as a project commissioned by Nintendo . The company’s smartphone and online games have been hit hardest, leading...