KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Bursa Malaysia Bhd’s net profit for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020, jumped to RM86.23 million compared to RM46.34 million recorded in the same period last year.
Revenue rose to RM179.78 million from RM123.96 million previously, the group said in a filing to Bursa Malaysia today.
For the first half ended June 30, 2020 (1H2020), the company’s net profit increased by 62 per cent to RM151.0 million from RM93.2 million reported in the previous corresponding half, driven by higher operating revenue, which increased by 33.6 per cent to RM320.7 million from RM240 million.
“Meanwhile, total operating expenses in 1H2020 increased by 3.7 per cent to RM127.1 million from RM122.6 million in 1H2019, mainly due to higher staff and technology costs. This is Bursa Malaysia’s highest first-half financial performance since its listing in 2005,” it said.
Its chief executive officer Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift, said the ongoing efforts to increase market vibrancy and liquidity is having a positive impact.
“We are witnessing strong retail participation and have recorded the highest trading in Bursa’s history of 12.5 billion on July 20, 2020. The emergence of millennials in the marketplace is also very encouraging and has been something we have been working very hard to achieve.
“We will continue to introduce new initiatives and streamlined product offerings, such as expanding the range of trading channels and platforms to improve the seamless digital journey on Bursa Malaysia for the new generation of investors,” he added.
He noted that annualised Return On Equity and Earnings Per Share of 39 per cent and 18.7 sen respectively has allowed the Board to declare an interim dividend of 17.0 sen, the highest since listing in 2005. — Bernama
