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.
Malaysia has just locked in RM63 billion (≈ US$13.4 billion) in chip‑sector investments as of March 2025—a record haul that signals the country’s coming‑of‑age as a serious semiconductor hub. Where the Money Comes From Foreign inflows dominate: RM58 billion (92%) arrives from overseas investors, while RM5 billion is local. Flagship projects: Carsem is building advanced packaging lines for energy‑efficient chips used in EVs and AI gear. Infineon is erecting the world’s largest 200 mm silicon‑carbide power‑chip fab . NXP, Syntiant and Plexus add sensor and manufacturing firepower. National Semiconductor Strategy (NSS) at a Glance Launched in May 2024 , the three‑phase NSS packs RM25 billion in fiscal support to: Nurture local “champions” Grow integrated‑circuit (IC) design talent Expand advanced‑packaging capacity Strengthen equipment manufacturing capabilities. Home‑Grown Champions on the Rise Thirteen Malaysi...