Malaysia’s stock market, once dubbed ‘world’s worst’, is making a comeback

Oct. 15, 2024 - Al Jazeera English

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysia’s stock market is experiencing a steady revival as billions of dollars pour into an exchange once written off as one of the region’s worst performers. Yong, a longtime investor in the local stock market, said there was “significant room” for growth and that many companies had been undervalued for a decade.

Over the past decade, political turmoil and lack of economic competitiveness were seen as a drag on Malaysia’s stock market. A Bloomberg article in 2019 dubbed the Bursa the “world’s worst major stock market” after it suffered a 14 percent slump over a year.

Ignatius Luke Jr Tan, an investment banker for more than 40 years, said Malaysia’s market had until recently been effectively “moribund”...