KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — Bursa Malaysia closed lower today weighed down by external factors as well as weak local sentiment due to the holiday-shortened trading week.

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 8.40 points to close at 1,652.99 points against yesterday’s close of 1,661.39 points.

The index opened 1.3 points lower at 1,660.09 and moved between 1,650.90 points and 1,663.32 points throughout the day.

A trader said the overseas sentiment was dampened by the global oil glut which was set to worsen and continue until next year.

"This has also affected the Asian equities markets, which saw Singapore’s Strait Times down 0.37 per cent and Japan’s Nikkei 225 was lower by 1.26 per cent,” he said.               

The global crude oil benchmark, Brent, fell 2.73 per cent to US$45.85 per barrel.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index fell 31.52 points to 11,674.44, FBMT100 Index lost 32.93 points to 11,379.44 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 29.46 points lower at 12,327.23.

The FBM 70 rose 40.45 points to 13,674.44 and the FBM Ace added 32.09 points to 5,218.88.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index fell 30.90 points to 14,216.88, Plantation Index was down 19.35 points to 7,846.61, Plantation Index slipped 19.35 points to 7,846.61 and the Industrial Index declined 9.38 points to 3,099.85.

Gainers outpaced losers by 397 to 369 while 385 counters were unchanged, 529 untraded and 19 others suspended.

Volume fell to 1.33 billion units worth RM2.32 billion from yesterday’s 1.40 billion units worth RM1.82 billion.

Of the heavyweights, Hong Leong added 42 sen to RM15.98 and Public Bank rose four sen to RM19.50. Petronas Dagangan, KL Kepong and Petronas Gas fell two sen each to RM23.34, RM23.8 and RM21.90, respectively. 

Among actives, YTL Power gained one sen to RM1.60 and Anzo added half-a-sen to 22.5 sen. IOI Corp eased eight sen to RM4.40 and Petronas Chemicals fell four sen to RM6.59.

Main Market turnover fell to 909.02 million units worth RM2.25 billion from 974.84 million units worth RM1.75 billion yesterday.

The ACE Market volume rose to 243.86 million shares valued at RM37.06 million from yesterday’s 196.29 million shares valued at RM27.25 million

Warrants declined to 174.40 million units worth RM32.35 million from 229.71 million units worth RM43.69 million yesterday.

Consumer products accounted for 58.91 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (251.36 million), construction (44.73 million), trade and services (272.61 million), technology (46.69 million), infrastructure (24.72 million), SPAC (17.95 million), finance (68.88 million), hotels (642,100), properties (77.59 million), plantations (21.86 million), mining (nil), REITs (22.96 million) and closed/fund (114,200).

The market will be closed tomorrow for Malaysia Day. — Bernama