KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — Bursa Malaysia ended lower across the board on persistent selling by foreign institutional funds, dealers said.

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) dipped 22.01 points to close at an intraday low of 1,692.50 from the 1,714.51 yesterday.

It opened 0.61 of a point weaker at 1,713.90 and moved between 1,692.50 and 1,714.10 through the day.

Market breadth was negative with losers trouncing gainers 779 to 164 with 286 counters unchanged, 503 counters untraded and 25 others suspended.

Total volume increased to 2.91 billion shares, worth RM2.33 billion, from the 1.85 billion shares valued at RM1.64 billion yesterday.

A dealer said most Asian markets dipped as investors avoided risk while waiting for new direction from the forthcoming meetings of the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan.

“Foreign funds which entered the local bourse, much earlier, were now taking profits following the ringgit’s recent gains against the US dollar,” he said.

On the home front, most heavyweights were lower. Maybank fell 4 sen to RM8.97, TNB eased 10 sen to RM14.40, Public Bank fell 28 sen to RM18.84, IHH trimmed 3 sen to RM6.68 and Petronas Chemicals shed 1 sen to RM6.69.

Among active stocks, Sona Petroleum warrants eased 2 sen to 1 sen, Vivocom and Spring Gallery warrants shed 1.5 sen each to 31.5 sen and 26.5 sen respectively, while AirAsia X and its warrants both shed 2.5 sen each to 34 sen and 19 sen respectively.

The FBM Emas Index fell 157.63 points to 11,745.26, the FBMT100 Index decreased 150.91 points to 11,446.40 and the FBM Emas Syariah Index lost 163.78 points to 12,297.56.

The FBM 70 was 178.84 points lower at 13,021.14 while the FBM Ace dropped 107.57 points to 5,672.70.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index reduced 115.01 points to 14,702.10, the Industrial Index slipped 32.63 points to 3,232.64 and the Plantation Index declined 45.47 points to 7,695.32.

Main Market turnover improved to 2.18 billion units, worth RM2.20 billion, from 1.35 billion units, worth RM1.55 billion.

The ACE Market turnover increased to 482.35 million shares, valued at RM106.32 million, from 342.59 million shares, valued at RM76.36 million, recorded yesterday.

Warrants rose to 237.82 million units, worth RM25.84 million, from 154.23 million units, worth RM16.02 million, traded previously.

Consumer products accounted for 478.29 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (229.45 million), construction (82.58 million), trade and services (636.49 million), technology (86.73 million), infrastructure (9.09 million), SPAC (475.66 million), finance (46.72 million), hotels (1.11 million), properties (99.98 million), plantations (25.49 million), mining (4,000), REITs (7.36 million), and closed/fund (17,100). — Bernama