KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Bursa Malaysia closed sharply lower today on lack of encouraging local leads with selling also seen from foreign funds.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 12.07 points, or 0.72 per cent, to close at 1,657.54.

The benchmark index, which opened 8.25 points weaker at 1,661.36, moved between 1,657.54 and 1,663.99 throughout the day.

Dealers said trading was cautious with losses seen in heavyweights led by Genting, Maybank and IHH Healthcare.

Meanwhile, other regional bourses were mixed.

China’s Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.37 per cent to 3,039.19 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.54 per cent to 22,000.49.

South Korea’s Kospi lost 0.16 per cent to 2,012.22 and Singapore’s Straits Times dropped 0.18 per cent to 2,940.48.

Market breath was negative with losers outnumbered gainers by 649 to 202 with 301 counters unchanged, 549 untraded and 17 others were suspended.

Volume fell to 1.81 billion units worth RM1.70 billion from 1.93 billion units worth RM1.64 billion yesterday.

Among heavyweights, Genting slipped 35 sen to RM8.68, Maybank dropped 10 sen to RM8.02, IHH Healthcare declined 12 sen to RM6.48 and Axiata and Maxis eased six sen each to RM5.69 and RM6.06 respectively.

PPB Group extended yesterday’s losses after it cautioned investors over the potential losses from its associate Wilmar International.

It fell 14 sen to RM16.12 with 1.39 million shares done. ~Among actives, Sanichi fell three sen to 14.5 sen, Borneo Oil went down half-a-sen to 18.5 sen and XOX lost one sen to 15.5 sen.

Dancomech was up five sen to 80 sen on its trading debut on the Main Market with 38.28 million shares done.

The FBM Emas Index eased by 80.88 points to 11,597.55, FBMT 100 Index fell 78.23 points to 11,295.64 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index dropped 70.98 points to 12,190.29.

The FBM 70 fell 76.45 points to 13,157.35 and the FBM Ace was 160.42 points lower at 5,400.53.

The Finance Index perked 122.81 points to 14,149.76.

The Plantation Index declined 17.97 points to 7,583.10 and the Industrial Index declined 9.54 points to 3,144.05.

Main Market turnover fell to 1.23 billion shares worth RM1.60 billion from yesterday’s 1.27 billion shares worth RM1.52 billion.

ACE Market volume decreased to 366.82 million units valued at RM69.86 million from 391.39 million units valued at RM79.64 million yesterday.

Warrants declined to 207.18 million shares worth RM29.96 million from 264.86 million shares worth RM40.21 million yesterday.

Consumer products accounted for 73.92 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (220.29 million), construction (46.11 million), trade and services (649.99 million), technology (66.29 million), infrastructure (8.35 million), SPAC (4.39 million), finance (41.99 million), hotels (486,400), properties (77.97 million), plantations (32.72 million), mining (45,200), REITs (8.36 million) and closed/fund (29,200). — Bernama