KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 18 — Bursa Malaysia finished lower today in line with sluggish Asian markets owing to disappointing US sales data and the continuing slide in crude oil prices.

Reflecting investors’ concern over the global economy, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) closed 5.91 points lower at 1,622.64 against the close on Friday of 1,628.55 points, weighed by oil and gas counters.

The index opened 12.82 points lower at 1,615.73 and fluctuated between 1,608.81 and 1,625.46 throughout the day in cautious trading.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.12 per cent to 16,955.57, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined 1.55 per cent to 19,218.94 and Singapore’s Straits Times shed 1.25 per cent to 2,597.79.

Losers beat gainers 776 to 190 while 269 counters were unchanged, 498 untraded and 12 others were suspended.

Total volume advanced to 2.13 billion shares, worth RM1.87 billion, from Friday’s 1.87 billion shares valued at RM1.75 billion.

Deepening concerns about China’s economy, the growth of global and emerging markets as well as plummeting commodity prices continued to weigh on investor sentiment.

Benchmark Brent crude fell to US$27.67 per barrel, its lowest level since 2003.

The lifting of sanctions on Iran also affected markets across the region, as a bigger oil glut is expected with Iranian crude exporters coming into the market soon.

“Against the jittery backdrop and the release of Chinese economic data tomorrow, investors are adopting a wait-and-see approach,” said the dealer.

Back home, among heavyweights, Maybank shed 3 sen to RM8.29 while TNB lost 3 sen to RM12.98, Public Bank fell 12 sen to RM18.10 while Petronas Chemicals gained 1 sen to RM7.01.

Leading the top losers list were BAT, which gave up 76 sen to RM54.88 while Panasonic Manufacturing fell 56 sen to RM24, Petronas Dagangan weakened 34 sen to RM23.56 and Shell Refining slid 28 sen to RM5.24.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index declined 53.31 points to 11,365.71, the FBMT100 Index lost 45.35 points to 11,048.25 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index slipped 38.47 points to 12,326.86.

The FBM 70 lost 70.92 points to 12,835.92 and the FBM Ace gave up 139.99 points to 6,074.82.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Index dropped 11.07 points to 3,123.38, the Finance Index lost 80.08 points to 13,611.30 and the Plantation Index declined 27.16 points to 7,505.14.

Main Market volume increased to 1.27 billion units, worth RM1.70 billion, from Friday’s 1.18 billion units valued at RM1.6 billion.

Turnover on the ACE Market was higher at 454.21 million shares, valued at 94.34 million, from 395.55 million shares, worth RM100.55 million, recorded previously.

Warrants leaped to 404.24 million units, valued at RM72.69 million, from 293.32 million units, worth RM52.57 million, traded on Friday.

Consumer products accounted for 145.00 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (347.64 million), construction (59.44 million), trade and services (352.32 million), technology (42.56 million), infrastructure (14.20 million), SPAC (45.29 million), finance (37.69 million), hotels (2.05 million), properties (194.64 million), plantations (21.12 million), mining (0), REITs and closed/fund (37,500). — Bernama