FBM KLCI slips below 1,724 as bank shares fall before earnings
The FBM KLCI fell 4.01 points to 1,723.38 by 9.07am, slipping below its start-of-month low as lenders slipped ahead of quarterly results.
Source: RSS · August 23, 2026 at 5:31 PM · AI-assisted report
Single-sourceKUALA LUMPUR, 24 AUGUST 2026 —
The FBM KLCI fell 4.01 points to 1,723.38 by 9.07am, slipping below its start-of-month low as lenders slipped ahead of quarterly results.
Market Impact
The index has now declined for three straight sessions following last week’s drop, Apex Securities said. The broker attributed the retreat to traders positioning for the earnings season, which is set to intensify over the next two weeks.
“With GDP and the recent market rebound out of the way, the next leg of the market is likely to be driven more by earnings than macro data,” Apex Securities told clients.
On the macro front, the research house said global equities remain supported by resilient corporate profits, moderating inflation and signs that major central banks are nearing the end of their tightening cycles.
In the near term, Apex cited US monetary policy, consumer spending, global inflation, corporate earnings, oil prices and geopolitical developments as the key variables. While it described the global backdrop as constructive, it warned that “the balance of risks suggests a more selective approach may be appropriate after strong gains in several major markets.”
On Bursa Malaysia, the retreat was led by banks awaiting their quarterly updates. Maybank fell four sen to RM10.56, CIMB dropped nine sen to RM7.86, Public Bank shed two sen to RM5.11, RHB slid five sen to RM8.60 and AmBank lost four sen to RM7.31.
Brent crude futures for October delivery held near US$88 a barrel as traders monitored stalled US-Iran peace talks. PETRONAS Chemicals rose five sen to RM4.55, MISC added eight sen to RM8.18 and PETRONAS Gas fell 12 sen to RM17.30.
Advancers outnumbered decliners. JAKS Resources rose 1.5 sen to 12 sen, OpsStar gained 1.5 sen to 75 sen and YGL advanced two sen to 15 sen.
Related: Maybank · Bursa Malaysia · Kuala Lumpur