Kuala lumpur: Bursa Malaysia has maintained its lead position in initial public offering (IPO) activities in Southeast Asia. It has also recorded an overall market capitalisation exceeding RM1.9 trillion in the first half of 2025.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Bursa Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Fad’l Mohamed said this achievement reflects the strength of the country’s capital market and also the business community’s confidence in Bursa Malaysia as a partner for long-term growth. He noted that retail investors’ participation remains strong and continues to be a major contributor to the country’s equity market. The average daily trading value (ADV) of retail investors remains stable at about RM450 million, in line with pre-COVID-19 levels, as of the middle of this year.
Fad’l added that there are more than 113,000, or eight per cent, of active retail investors in Perak, out of a total of 1.4 million in Malaysia, with nearly 6,000 new Central Depository System (CDS) accounts opened as of the middle of this year. He highlighted Perak’s potential for further growth in the capital market, given its 2.5 million population.
Despite these figures, Fad’l stressed the importance of building retail investors who are knowledgeable, responsible and confident about their investments. Bursa Malaysia also emphasised the need to raise awareness about the growing issue of investment fraud, with the police reporting more than 2,000 cases in the first quarter of this year.
The exchange is intensifying financial literacy programmes such as Sens-Ability, and providing various educational materials for new and experienced investors as a preventive measure. Additionally, Bursa Malaysia introduced investment products like BR Capital, Bursa Gold Dinar, and MyBursa to cater to various investor segments. Fad’l encouraged attendees to leverage the knowledge-sharing sessions and opportunities provided throughout the Perak Stock Carnival to make informed and wise investment decisions.
The carnival, held for the first time in Perak, is part of a series of programmes that started in 2022, following previous events in Pahang, Terengganu, and Perlis, aiming to strengthen investment literacy among the public. Perak’s Tourism, Industry, Investment, and Corridor Development committee chairman Loh Sze Yee and UTAR research and commercialisation division vice-president Prof Dr Zuraidah Abd Manaf were also present at the event.