Bursa Malaysia ended the week on a firmer footing, with the FBM KLCI advancing to 1,731.45 on July 17 as stronger-than-expected economic growth and gains in plantation and financial stocks outweighed cautious regional sentiment.
The benchmark index started the week at 1,698.44 on July 13, rising 0.41% after trading between 1,685.74 and 1,703.10. Plantation and commodity-linked counters led the early gains, while financial heavyweights also attracted buying interest despite mixed performances across regional markets.
Investor sentiment improved further towards the end of the week after Malaysia’s advance estimate showed the economy expanded 5.8% in the second quarter of 2026, exceeding the previous quarter’s 5.4% growth. The stronger reading encouraged buying in blue-chip stocks, helping the FBM KLCI recover from an early dip to trade higher through Friday.
At midday on July 17, the benchmark stood at 1,726.81 after opening slightly weaker than Thursday’s close of 1,722.19, reflecting renewed investor confidence following the GDP data release.
Broader market performance was more selective. The FBM Emas Index, FBM Top 100 Index and FBM Emas Shariah Index all ended higher during the week, while the FBM 70 Index and FBM ACE Index underperformed, indicating that gains were concentrated in larger, more defensive companies.
The week’s advance was also accompanied by stronger market turnover, suggesting healthier investor participation as funds rotated into large-cap counters ahead of key economic data, even as global uncertainties and regional market volatility continued to temper overall risk appetite.
