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.
Key Takeaway: Huawei’s ambitions to produce advanced AI and smartphone chips have hit a wall due to US sanctions , keeping the company stuck with 7nm chip technology until at least 2026. The Challenge: Huawei’s next two Ascend processors , designed to compete with Nvidia’s AI accelerators , will rely on 7nm architecture , mainstream since 2018. US restrictions block access to extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines from ASML, essential for cutting-edge chip production. Implications: Lagging Behind: By 2025, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) will be mass-producing 2nm chips , leaving Huawei three generations behind. Production Struggles: Huawei’s partner, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) , faces poor yield and reliability issues even for 7nm chips. Broader Impact on China: National AI Goals: Huawei’s setbacks highlight the difficulty China faces in achieving self-sufficiency in semiconductors, even with heavy state backing and R&D inv...