Data Centers to Anchor Malaysia's Construction Sector — Market Talk

Data centers are expected to continue to anchor Malaysia's construction growth, with momentum gradually broadening across transport, renewables, industrial parks and infrastructure, Public Investment Bank analyst Oh Boon Yeow says in a note. He expects job flows to remain comparable with the past two years', supporting further expansion in sector order books. A robust pipeline of data-center developments, public infrastructure and utility projects are expected to underpin activity, while rising material costs will likely remain manageable through inflation-linked contracts, disciplined pricing and effective cost controls, he adds. Public IB maintains an overweight rating on Malaysia's construction sector, pegging Gamuda and IJM as its top picks. (yingxian.wong@wsj.com)