KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Bursa Malaysia closed lower today on bearish sentiment amid the weaker regional markets.

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) decreased 2.58 points to 1,738.01 against yesterday’s close of 1,740.59.

The index opened 2.19 points lower at 1,738.40 and moved between 1,735.07 and 1,740.83 throughout the day.

A dealer said Asian stocks were broadly lower as the US Federal Reserve’s report hinted at more rate hikes ahead.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 edged down 0.80 per cent to 22,658.16, China’s Shanghai Composite Index decreased 2.94 per cent to 2,486.42 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng eased 0.03 per cent to 25,454.55.

Among Bursa Malaysia’s heavyweights, Maybank added one sen to RM9.60 and Public Bank gained four sen to RM25.02.

TNB declined two sen to RM14.58 and Petronas Chemicals eased one sen to RM9.34 while CIMB was flat at RM6.03.

As for actives, Borneo Oil and Sapura Energy slipped half-a-sen each to five sen and 34.5 sen respectively, MRCB declined two sen to 77.5 sen and Tiger Synergy lost one sen to 5.5 sen.

Lion Industries added 2.5 sen to 80 sen.

Market breadth was negative with losers leading gainers 472 to 338, with 371 counters unchanged, 728 untraded and 51 others suspended.

Volume was lower at 2.0 billion units valued at RM2.02 billion from Wednesday’s 2.02 billion units valued at RM2.08 billion.

The FBM Emas Index fell 17.44 points to 12,031.24, the FBM Emas Shariah Index slid 30.79 points to 12,040.09 and the FBMT 100 Index decreased 16.59 points to 11,854.99.

The FBM Ace Index jumped 40.11 points to 5,096.97 but the FBM 70 erased 15.63 points to 13,896.77.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index was 39.11 points lower at 7,386.89 while the Industrial Products and Services Index added 0.24 of-a-point to 173.16 and the Financial Services Index increased 7.31 points to 17,582.97.

Main Market volume shrank to 1.44 billion shares worth RM1.9 billion from Wednesday’s 1.62 billion shares worth RM1.98 billion.

Warrants turnover rose to 342.56 million units valued at RM73.69 million from yesterday’s 205.37 million units valued at RM27.64 million.

Volume on the ACE Market decreased to 201.01 million shares worth RM51.59 million from 294 million shares worth RM63.67 million previously.

Consumer products and services accounted for 158.31 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (380.31 million), construction (116.69 million), technology (135.88 million), SPAC (1.68 million), financial services (44.27 million), property (230.71 million), plantations (30.35 million), REITs (2.51 million), closed/fund (3,500), energy (245.26 million), healthcare (19.37 million), telecommunication and media (29.23 million), transportation and logistics (11.32 million) and utilities (42.48 million). — Bernama