BELOW are excerpts of viewpoints from two selected research houses on what investors can expect in the day ahead:
Berjaya Research
The FBM KLCI recovered all its intraday losses to close higher for the third straight session, driven by bargain hunting in selected index heavyweights in the final hours of the trading session on Thursday.
Trading activity improved to 3.01 billion shares from 2.71 billion shares in the previous session amid the improved market undertone.
Market breadth was fairly even with 529 advancers against 538 decliners, suggesting a cautious sentiment among investors despite pockets of selective buying.
Moving forward, the recent rebound suggests that near-term support from bargain hunting activities has helped solidify the key index’s position above the 1,700 psychological level.
However, the lack of broad-based participation may limit further upsides with investors likely to remain watchful of external developments and domestic catalysts before taking on larger positions.
Meanwhile, oil prices have continued to climb after Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that a closure of the Strait of Hormuz could be prolonged.
This may re-introduce volatility into local markets amid on-going concerns over the potential for higher inflation.
After three days of rebound, a potential pullback could beckon where investors could take this opportunity to lock in recent gains.
Near-term support is pegged at the 1,700 psychological level, followed by 1,685 points. Upside wise, the immediate resistance is located at 1,720 points, followed by 1,734 points.
Malacca Securities Research
Mirroring the US sentiment, the “closure” of the Strait of Hormuz could benefit MISC Bhd as the group could command higher spot rates by passing on war-risk premiums to charterers.
Amid elevated oil prices, buying interest has emerged in plantation and selected petrochemical counters.
Petrochemical players stand to benefit as higher crude oil prices typically drive up the selling prices of chemical derivatives
This will allow integrated producers to expand their margins by raising product prices faster than their feedstock costs rise while biofuels are expected to serve as a partial substitute for crude oil, benefiting plantation players.
While the FBM KLCI continued its rebound, technical indicators suggest weaker upside momentum at this current junction as the MACD histogram is still in the negative region while the RSI is below 50.
Resistance is seen around 1,726-1,731 with support at 1,691-1,696. – March 13, 2026
