Bursa Malaysia’s key index closed lower on Monday, reversing some of the upward momentum that had characterized the previous trading week.
The decline was primarily driven by profit-taking in banking stocks, which weighed heavily on the benchmark despite steady sentiment across the broader market.
The pullback follows a period of strength for the Malaysian bourse, which had closed higher on Friday.
That earlier rally was broad-based, particularly within the financial sector, as investors reacted positively to softer-than-expected US labor market data.
The improved sentiment from the US figures had helped lift trading activity and prices in Kuala Lumpur over the preceding sessions.
However, the positive streak appears to have hit a short-term ceiling.