Bursa Malaysia extends gains for third session as tech stocks surge
Bursa Malaysia’s benchmark index rose 4.5 points, or 0.26%, to 1,724.90 on Friday, extending gains for a third straight session.
Source: The Star · July 31, 2026 at 5:28 PM · AI-assisted report
Single-sourceKUALA LUMPUR, 1 AUGUST 2026 —
KUALA LUMPUR — Bursa Malaysia’s benchmark FBM KLCI rose 4.5 points, or 0.26%, to 1,724.90 on Friday, extending gains for a third consecutive session as technology and semiconductor stocks led a regional market rally.
Market Impact
The index, which has gained 1.4% for the week and 3.65% for the month, traded within a 14.45-point range, touching an intraday high of 1,730.12 and a low of 1,715.67. Market breadth remained positive, with 713 gainers outpacing 407 decliners, while turnover reached 3.1 billion shares worth RM3.57 billion.
Technology and semiconductor stocks were the primary drivers of gains. Malaysian Pacific Industries led with a RM3 rise to RM46, while ViTrox added 70 sen to RM8.70, UMS Integration gained 51 sen to RM7.35, and Pentamaster rose 29 sen to RM5.29. Frontken climbed 25 sen to RM5.21, KESM advanced 22 sen to RM4.17, and UWC gained 19 sen to RM6.35.
On the downside, Hong Leong Industries fell 28 sen to RM17.72, Allianz dropped 20 sen to RM21.00, British American Tobacco eased 19 sen to RM4.78, and Kuala Lumpur Kepong shed 18 sen to RM21.02.
Foreign funds were net buyers on Thursday, purchasing RM76 million worth of equities, while local institutions were net sellers of the same amount. The ringgit strengthened 0.12% against the US dollar to 4.0855 but weakened 0.44% against the Singapore dollar at 3.1861. It also declined 0.31% versus the euro to 4.7040 and 0.43% against the pound sterling at 5.4962.
Regional markets broadly advanced, with MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan index up 7.35%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 4.03% to 64,362.02, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.099% to 25,884.43, and China’s CSI300 Index gained 0.85% to 4,588.20. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 17.9% to 6,595.45, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.63% to 5,637.60.
The tech-driven rally reflects broader investor optimism in global semiconductor and technology sectors, supported by regional market momentum. Analysts attribute the gains to improved sentiment in global tech stocks, which have benefited from expectations of sustained demand in artificial intelligence and semiconductor applications.
For Bursa Malaysia, the sustained rally in technology counters recent volatility and underscores the sector’s growing influence on local market performance. The FBM KLCI’s weekly and monthly gains highlight improving investor confidence, though foreign and local fund flows remain balanced, with foreign buyers offsetting institutional selling.
Looking ahead, market watchers will monitor whether the technology rally can broaden beyond semiconductor stocks, particularly as global economic conditions and trade policies continue to evolve. The ringgit’s mixed performance against major currencies suggests cautious optimism, with external factors such as US interest rate expectations and regional trade dynamics playing key roles.
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