KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 ― Bursa Malaysia finished on an easier note today but recovered from the day's low on better-than-expected November 2014 export data, dealers said.

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 7.40 points, or 0.43 per cent, dragged down by losses in selected bluechips, to close at 1,709.18, off the day's low of 1,706.18.

However, on the broader market, gainers outpaced losers by 413 to 353 with 295 counters unchanged, 678 counters untraded and nine others suspended.

The dealers said investors started nibbling at value buy selectively, but trading was still in cautious mode with global crude oil price bearishness still unresolved.

“Until crude oil prices find the bottom, equity markets will remain in bearish mode,” said a dealer, adding that Malaysia's November 2014 export data, which boosted the country's trade surplus to the highest in three years, would attract buyers soon.

Total volume shrank to 1.61 billion units worth RM2.06 billion from 1.64 billion units worth RM1.86 billion yesterday.

On other scoreboards, the FBM Emas Index eased 38.38 points to 11,734.28, the FBMT100 Index contracted 45.68 points to 11,475.62 while the FBM Emas Syariah Index slid 31.89 points to 12,239.89.

The FBM 70 was 35.00 points easier at 12,740.66 and the FBM Ace eased 15.22 points to 5,701.20.

On a sectoral basis, the Industrial Index slipped 21.96 points to 3,110.89, the Finance Index shaved off 116.89 points to 15,081.68, while the Plantation Index trimmed 8.52 points to 7,703.65.

Among heavyweights, Maybank slipped 19 sen to RM8.61, Tenaga gained six sen to RM13.82, Public Bank dipped two sen to RM17.58, while Axiata eased one sen to RM6.93.

Among actively traded stocks, Minetech eased 1.5 sen to 11 sen, Sumatec gained one sen to 20.5 sen, Hubline added half-a-sen to 4.5 sen, while Media Shoppe and PUC-warrant A slipped one sen each to 4.5 sen and 6.5 sen, respectively.

Main Market volume expanded to 1.07 billion shares worth RM1.88 billion from yesterday's 1.05 billion shares worth RM1.70 billion .

Turnover on the ACE Market contracted to 271.95 million shares valued at RM54.14 million against 408.96 million shares valued at RM93.06 million previously.

Warrants increased to 260.92 million units worth RM99.57 million from 76.89 million units worth RM59.79 million yesterday.

Consumer products accounted for 89.99 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (204.37 million), construction (39.38 million), trade and services (493.39 million), technology (33.91 million), infrastructure (18.92 million), SPAC (35.40 million), finance (63.38 million), hotels (2.65 million), properties (69.23 million), plantations (14.58 million), mining (92,000), REITs (6.91 million), and closed/fund (27,900). ― Bernama