KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — The Kuala Lumpur share market closed weaker today on continuous selling activities in heavyweights.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended 15.22 points lower at 1,791.74, after fluctuating between 1,778.99 and 1,797.99 through the day.

Among heavyweights, Maybank fell 1 sen to RM9.20, TNB eased 4 sen to RM14.62 and Public Bank declined 28 sen to RM18.38. Axiata added 3 sen to RM7.16.

A dealer said the weaker market sentiment was prompted by renewed expectations the US Federal Reserve would increase its interest rate sooner than expected following the release last Friday of a strong US jobs report.

On the broader market, losers outpaced gainers by 544 to 274, with 291 counters unchanged, 652 untraded and 21 others suspended.

Total volume rose to 2.13 billion shares worth RM1.86 billion from two billion shares worth RM1.92 billion last Friday.

The FBM Emas Index contracted 90.56 points to 12,350.40 and the FBMT100 Index fell 86.38 points to 12,033.96. The FBM Ace jumped 105.52 points to 6,804.45. The FBM Emas Shariah Index was 71.04 points lower at 12,963.94 and the FBM 70 fell 35.15 points to 13,375.84.

On a sectoral basis, the Industrial Index slipped 25.55 points to 3,287.53, Plantation Index 39.52 points to 7,884.27 and the Finance Index 86.35 points to 15,903.41.

Of the actively traded stocks, Privasia went up 3.5 sen to 26 sen, Wintoni rose 4 sen to 29.5 sen and Nexgram Holdings edged up 0.5 sen to 11 sen. Asia Bioenergy slipped 0.5 sen to 11 sen.

Main Market volume fell to 935.17 million units worth RM1.62 billion against 1.13 billion units worth RM1.74 billion last Friday.

Turnover on the ACE Market rose to 1.08 billion shares valued at RM220.50 million from 792.20 million shares valued at RM166.76 million last week.

Warrants appreciated to 111.20 million units worth RM19.40 million from 83.51 million units worth RM14.53 million previously.

Consumer products accounted for 75.86 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products 128.0 million, construction 38.75 million, trade and services 355.16 million, technology 121.37 million, infrastructure 15.39 million, SPAC 42.38 million, finance 35.69 million, hotels 4.26 million, properties 98.69 million, plantations 13.24 million, mining 50,200, REITs 6.27 million and closed/fund 5,900. — Bernama