Bursa Malaysia ended the week of Sept 2 little changed as gains in select sectors were offset by cautious sentiment following Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) policy decision, leaving the benchmark FBM KLCI stuck near the 1,580 level.
The local bourse reopened on Sept 2 after the Merdeka Day holiday, with sentiment muted despite a milestone as UBS Securities became the first foreign broker to offer Islamic stockbroking services in Malaysia. The FBM KLCI closed broadly flat at 1,576.86 points.
The next day, the index rose 1.82 points to 1,578.52, lifted by advances in consumer products, telecommunications and media counters. Broader indices including the FBM Emas, FBM T100 and FBM Emas Shariah also climbed, reflecting wider participation.
However, momentum faded on Sept 4 as the benchmark slipped 0.37 points, or 0.02%, to 1,578.15, after BNM kept the Overnight Policy Rate unchanged at 2.75%. While the move signalled policy stability, external headwinds and subdued risk appetite kept trading rangebound between 1,575.99 and 1,581.89.
Overall, the FBM KLCI ended the three-day stretch almost unchanged, underscoring a market caught between sectoral support and investor caution.
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