KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 8 — Bursa Malaysia ended in positive territory today. However, the gains were capped by profit-taking.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was slightly higher by 2.95 points at 1,692.2 after moving between 1,681.78 and 1,701.21 throughout the day.

However, market breadth was negative with losers outpacing gainers by 520 to 339, while 302 counters were unchanged, 635 untraded and 33 others were suspended.

Volume decreased to 2.29 billion shares valued at RM2.66 billion from 2.69 billion shares valued at RM3.21 billion on Wednesday.

A dealer said the index had been on the uptrend and this could possibly lift it to re-test its immediate resistance of 1,690.

“Nevertheless, it can also potentially consolidate in the near term due to the overbought situation,” he added.

Among top gainers were UMW (+38 sen to RM8.11), LPI (+24 sen to RM14.44) and Axiata (+21 sen to RM6.21) while top losers were British American Tobacco (-RM1.20 to RM63.20), Genting Plantations (-60 sen to RM10.90) and PPB (-36 sen to RM15.80).

Of the heavyweights, Maybank gained five sen to RM8.52, Public Bank rose 12 sen to RM18.38, Tenaga appreciated eight sen to RM12.28 and Sime Darby lost four sen to RM8.76.

Among actives, KNM and Perisai Petroleum shed two sen each to 53.5 sen and 36.5 sen while China Automobile was flat at 14 sen.

On the scoreboard, the FBM 70 fell 174.04 points to 12,511.86, FBM Emas Shariah Index declined 28.68 points to 12,348.73 and the FBM Ace edged down 8.45 points to 5,770.6.

The FBM Emas Index fell by 26.07 points to 11,630.14 and the FBMT100 Index was down 20.98 points to 11,339.55.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index eased 65.68 points to 14,411.73, Industrial Index decreased 22.29 points to 3,317.64 and the Plantation Index was 48.59 points lower at 7,397. 14.

Main Market volume fell to 1.37 billion units worth RM2.4 billion from 1.79 billion units worth RM3.04 billion .

Turnover on the ACE Market increased to 444.47 million shares valued at RM166.49 million from 293.12 million shares valued at RM62.92 million.

Warrants went down to 475.05 million units worth RM98.34 million from 609.07 million units worth RM114.57 million previously.

Consumer products accounted for 73.92 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (393.68 million), construction (48.99 million), trade and services (600.57 million), technology (25.19 million), infrastructure (31.32 million), SPAC (14.58 million), finance (56.55 million), hotel (1.57 million), properties (68.56 million), plantations (48.64 million), mining (24,000), REITs (8.1 million) and closed/fund (32,500). — Bernama