KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia’s benchmark finished Friday softer even as semiconductor names kept a pulse under the surface. The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI slipped 0.32% to close at 1,673.88, according to a Southeast Asia markets roundup from Business Upturn, tracking a cautious regional tone that also weighed on Singapore.
Earlier in the session, The Star reported the index edging up just 0.34 points, or 0.02%, to 1,675.08 after opening at 1,676.72, with technology and semiconductor counters among the top gainers. Malaysian Pacific Industries surged RM1.44 to RM41.54, Pentamaster climbed 10 sen to RM5.32, and Dufu rose 10 sen to RM2.74. Other chip-linked bids included MI Technovation at RM5.67, UWC at RM6.36, and Unisem at RM4.21.
That early lift sat against a familiar drag list: PETRONAS Dagangan slid to RM20.74, Nestlé (Malaysia) to RM90.30, and Hong Leong Bank to RM23, The Star said. Berjaya Research kept a cautious outlook on the KLCI amid elevated U.S. Treasury yields and the global rate path, while flagging possible bargain hunting as the index approached oversold territory. The house pointed traders to Bank of Japan policy and Malaysia’s inflation prints next, and mapped resistance at 1,687 then 1,700, with support at 1,666 and 1,655. Rakuten Trade similarly expected consolidation, though lower yields and softer oil could still encourage selective buying.
Regionally, Friday’s tape stayed mixed: Singapore’s Straits Times Index finished at 5,646.65 (−0.25%), Indonesia’s IDX Composite at 6,463.41 (+0.41%), Thailand’s SET at 1,583.34 (+1.32%), and the Philippines’ PSEi at 5,901.92 (−0.95%), Business Upturn reported.
Bottom line: Kuala Lumpur closed with a soft KLCI print, but the session still showed chip names carrying the early bid. Watch whether 1,666–1,655 holds into next week — and whether MPI and the broader tech tape keep funding that selective bargain-hunt story if BOJ and local inflation data stay orderly.
