Bursa Malaysia slips 0.07% as caution sets in ahead of US jobs report
The FBM KLCI fell 1.17 points, or 0.07%, to 1,735.98 at midday as investors tempered risk appetite ahead of tonight’s US non-farm payrolls data and geopolitical jitters resurfaced.
Source: The Star · August 7, 2026 at 5:16 AM · AI-assisted report
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KUALA LUMPUR, 7 AUGUST 2026 —
The FBM KLCI fell 1.17 points, or 0.07%, to 1,735.98 at midday as investors tempered risk appetite ahead of tonight’s US non-farm payrolls data and geopolitical jitters resurfaced.
Market Impact
Traders marked down the index after it briefly touched an intraday low of 1,729.34, paring a mid-morning rebound and leaving the blue-chip gauge just 0.3% below Thursday’s close.
Decliners led gainers 647 to 376, while turnover reached 1.96 billion shares worth RM1.66 billion, according to Bursa Malaysia data.
Batu Kawan skidded 66 sen to RM20.74, Malaysian Pacific Industries lost 42 sen to RM47.24, United Plantations fell 32 sen to RM33.88, and UMS Integration dropped 19 sen to RM7.56.
On the upside, Nestlé rose 60 sen to RM101.90, Tong Herr added 49 sen to RM2.39, YTL Power gained 29 sen to RM4.66, and Hong Leong Industries climbed 24 sen to RM17.92.
Apex Securities said it expects cautious trade to persist through the session as investors reassess regional tech shares after a two-day pullback and position for tonight’s US payrolls.
“Investors are digesting the recent tech-led pullback across regional markets while positioning ahead of the closely watched US non-farm payrolls report,” the brokerage said.
Fresh geopolitical risk added to the caution after Iran floated a draft proposal to block US and Israeli vessels from the Strait of Hormuz, pushing oil prices sharply higher on Thursday.
Apex Securities warned that sentiment could stay fragile even though Washington dismissed the proposed move, reviving Middle East uncertainty just as markets had looked set for a broader détente this week.
It flagged technology and semiconductor counters as potential laggards after regional peers reversed course, potentially dragging on local names that had recently outperformed.
The brokerage also advised profit-taking in financial services and plantation stocks after Thursday’s declines, while singling out construction as a relative bright spot thanks to steady data-centre and infrastructure contract flows.
Malacca Securities predicted a mixed session, with energy counters likely to benefit from firmer crude prices driven by Middle East supply risks.
It highlighted Hibiscus Petroleum and Dayang Enterprise as two names set to benefit from the spike in oil, while reiterating its constructive view on technology stocks.
“Technology counters should remain resilient on strong fundamentals,” Malacca Securities said, noting Pentamaster’s AI-driven demand for automated test equipment and EG Industries’ ability to capture rerouted optical module orders through its China+1 expansion.
Related: Batu Kawan · Bursa Malaysia · Kuala Lumpur