Kuala lumpur: The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives is anticipated to trade within a range of 1,700-1,730 next week, reflecting a careful market approach alongside the cash market.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd's vice-president of equity research, Thong Pak Leng, highlighted that volatility could remain elevated as investors continue to monitor developments in West Asia and changes in oil prices.

Thong noted that while energy-related stocks might receive some support, the overall market participation is likely to stay subdued as investors adopt a defensive strategy. The futures contracts showed mixed results this week, which was shortened due to a holiday, aligning with the cash market's performance.

Trading activities were affected as Bursa Malaysia and its subsidiaries were closed for the Labour Day public holiday on May 1. From the end of last week to Thursday, the April 2026 contract increased by 4.5 points to 1,719.0, May 2026 rose by 3.0 points to 1,719.5, June 2026 went up by 2.5 points to 1,718.5, and September 2026 saw an increase of 6.0 points to 1,701.0.

Weekly trading volume increased significantly to 190,023 lots from 44,733 lots the previous week, while open interest decreased to 43,924 contracts from 45,733 contracts at the end of the preceding week. The FBM KLCI concluded this week with a slight rise of 1.68 points, closing at 1,722.02 compared to 1,720.34 at the end of last week.