KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended at its intraday low on Thursday as investor sentiment remained cautious amid ongoing foreign outflows, although the recent weakness may present bargain-hunting opportunities in fundamentally sound blue-chip counters. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 9.33 points, or 0.54 per cent, to 1,708.36, from yesterday’s close of 1,717.69. The benchmark index, which opened 3.74 points higher at 1,721.43, hit an intraday high of 1,722.50 in early trade before losing momentum for the rest of the day. Market breadth was negative, with losers outpacing gainers 656 to 508, while 565 counters were unchanged, 989 untraded and 32 suspended. Turnover fell to 3.49 billion units worth RM3.70 billion compared with 4.15 billion units worth RM4.29 billion on Wednesday.
Quick Summary Budget 2026 likely less generous , with fewer household handouts Fiscal surplus expected at 0.3%–1.0% of GDP Focus shifts to long-term growth, innovation and AI Strong 2025 growth gives government room to be prudent Why the Budget May Tighten Singapore is expected to unveil a more fiscally conservative Budget 2026 on Feb 12 , as policymakers balance resilient growth with long-term discipline after heavy household support last year. Economists from Bank of America , Maybank and DBS forecast a budget surplus of 0.3% to 1.0% of GDP , signalling a pullback from 2025’s generous cash transfers. Key shift: From short-term relief to future positioning . Household Support Likely Reduced Analysts expect: Lower cash payouts after “elevated support” in 2025 Early fiscal prudence to preserve firepower in case growth weakens later in the parliamentary term This follows Singapore’s rule to balance t...