KUALA LUMPUR (July 30): Bursa Malaysia Bhd (KL:BURSA) said on Thursday its net profit rose 26% in the second quarter from a year earlier, thanks to higher securities trading activities and listing fees.

Net profit for the three months ended June 30, 2026 (2QFY2026) was RM71.78 million, according to an exchange filing. Year-on-year, trading revenue climbed 36% while listing-related fees surged 58% during the quarter. Overall revenue during the quarter was up 22% when compared to 2QFY2025.

“Looking ahead, the exchange expects the operating environment to remain supported by domestic economic conditions, while remaining mindful of ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainties,” Bursa Malaysia said.

The exchange operator maintained this year’s targets for return-on-equity of 27-30% and for non-trading revenue to grow at least 10%. However, Bursa Malaysia raised the total market capitalisation for initial public offerings to RM34 billion from RM28 billion previously.

By the end of June, Bursa Malaysia hosted 36 listings, raising RM5.4 billion and adding RM26.1 billion to market capitalisation.

“We are confident in the outlook for IPO activity in the second half of the year, supported by a healthy pipeline and continued interest from companies seeking to raise growth capital through the public market,” said chief executive officer Datuk Fad’l Mohamed.

For the first six months, net profit totalled RM144.61 million, an increase of 15% when compared to the first half of 2025. Revenue for the period rose 19% year-on-year, also driven by higher trading and listing activities.

Trading velocity — which measures the level of trading activity relative to the market’s overall capitalisation — rose seven percentage-points to 36% in January-June.

An interim dividend of 16.5 sen per share was declared and payable on Aug 27.