Bursa Malaysia ends higher ahead of Trump-Xi meeting

BURSA MALAYSIA, 23 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

Bursa Malaysia edged higher on Thursday as investors priced in the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) overnight policy‑rate decision and tracked a modest rally on Wall Street, while anticipation built around the forthcoming meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The upward move was underpinned by gains in financials, plantation and utilities stocks. Among the heavyweights, Maybank held steady at RM10.60, Public Bank added two sen to close at RM4.95, CIMB Group rose six sen to RM7.90, Tenaga Nasional edged up two sen to RM13.66 and IHH Healthcare was unchanged at RM8.08.

The FBM Emas Index, which tracks the performance of the 30 largest companies, climbed 20.37 points to 12,647.20, while the FBMT 100, the broader 100‑stock index, also posted gains.

The session’s activity came as BNM’s Monetary Policy Committee convened to decide on the overnight policy rate (OPR). Consensus forecasts among market participants expected the central bank to keep the OPR unchanged at 2.75 per cent for the balance of 2026. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity‑research vice‑president Thong Pak Leng noted that Wall Street’s positive close was helped by easing bond yields, which reduced pressure on equities and offered “some relief to investors”.

He added that the U.S. 10‑year Treasury yield, while still elevated at 4.782 per cent, was being driven higher by crude‑oil price gains, with Brent crude trading above US$95 per barrel. “As for the local bourse, we expect the FBM KLCI to trend within the 1,700‑1,715 range today,” he said.

The most active stocks on the Bursa were a mixed bag. Ingenieur Gudang added half a sen to reach 4.5 sen, while Ni Hsin and GIIB each eased half a sen to 26 sen and 50 sen respectively. Focus Dynamics and Key Asic were flat at half a sen and six sen. Among the top gainers, Petronas Gas posted the biggest jump, rising 18 sen to RM17.76.

Hume Cement Industries and LPI Capital each added 14 sen, closing at RM3.00 and RM13.66 respectively. Hong Leong Bank gained 12 sen to RM23.96 and Timberwell advanced eight sen to RM2.13.

Conversely, the leading decliners included Malaysian Pacific Industries, which fell 28 sen to RM39.50, and Kuala Lumpur Kepong, which slipped 18 sen to RM22.52. Petron Malaysia Refining dropped nine sen to RM3.37, Sarawak Oil Palms eased eight sen to RM5.88 and Press Metal Aluminium shed five sen to close at RM7.90.

The market’s modest uplift came against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical focus, as the scheduled Trump‑Xi summit drew attention from regional investors monitoring potential shifts in trade and monetary policy. While the Bursa’s movement was modest, the combination of a steady domestic monetary stance, easing U.S. yields and the prospect of a high‑profile diplomatic engagement provided a nuanced risk‑on environment for Malaysian equities.

The session’s turnover of 127.56 million shares, representing RM46.95 million in value, underscored continued liquidity despite a sizable number of untraded securities—2,231 shares remained without activity. The 271 unchanged counters reflected a market in balance, with price movements concentrated among a relatively small set of actively traded stocks.

Looking ahead, market participants will watch the outcome of BNM’s policy meeting for any signals on future rate adjustments, while also gauging the impact of the Trump‑Xi dialogue on regional trade flows and investor sentiment. Thong Pak Leng’s forecast of a 1,700‑1,715 trading range for the FBM KLCI suggests that, barring any surprise policy moves or geopolitical shocks, the index is likely to remain confined within a narrow band for the remainder of the day.

Related: Donald Trump · Bursa Malaysia