KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended higher on Friday as investors continued to accumulate blue-chip stocks in line with stronger performances across most regional markets. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 4.50 points to 1,724.90 from yesterday’s close of 1,720.40. The benchmark index opened 0.83 of a point higher at 1,721.23, and moved between 1,715.67 and 1,730.12 throughout the day. The broader market was positive with gainers outpacing losers 707 to 402, while 547 counters were unchanged, 1,085 untraded and 56 suspended. Turnover expanded to 3.03 billion units valued at RM3.56 billion from 2.49 billion units valued at RM2.25 billion on Thursday.
Malaysia must take urgent steps to strengthen its large-cap stock base and expand into higher-growth sectors , as the country risks losing visibility among global investors, according to the Securities Commission Malaysia . Declining Global Relevance Raises Concerns The SC warned that Malaysia’s shrinking weight in global indices — particularly the MSCI Emerging Markets Index — could lead to: Reduced passive fund inflows Lower market liquidity and visibility This decline reflects stronger growth from regional peers such as China, Taiwan, India, and South Korea, which now command a larger share of global capital. IPO Boom Fails to Lift Market Depth Despite a strong IPO pipeline in 2025, most listings were: Small-cap companies Concentrated in industrial and consumer sectors This has limited: Market diversification Availability of investable large-cap names for institutional investors As a result, Malaysia continues to...