KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 ― Mounting concerns over a new Covid-19 strain coupled with weak oil prices took a heavy toll on investors’ sentiment, dragging Bursa Malaysia to record its fourth day of losses today.

At the close, the key FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) erased 15.97 points to 1,631.92 after moving between 1,625.39 and 1,647.36 throughout the session.

The overall market breadth was also negative as losers hammered gainers 1,045 to 252, while 395 counters were unchanged, 445 untraded and 17 others suspended.

Total volume declined to 7.84 billion units worth RM4.14 billion from 8.08 billion units valued at RM3.66 billion on Monday.

At press time, the benchmark Brent crude fell 1.3 per cent to US$50.25 per barrel.

"The new strain of Covid-19 has caused tighter restrictions in Europe and this have sparked renewed worries all over the globe on the economic recovery,” a market analyst told Bernama.

Regionally, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slipped 0.71 per cent to 26,119.25, Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.04 per cent to 26,436.39 while Singapore’s Straits Times Index eased 0.67 per cent to 2,827.32.

Among the heavyweights on Bursa Malaysia, Maybank shed eight sen to RM8.40, Public Bank lost 20 sen to RM20.46, Tenaga and IHH Healthcare slid 10 sen each to RM10.58 and RM5.65 respectively, while Petronas Chemicals fell 13 sen to RM7.41.

However, Top Glove and Hartalega rose seven sen and 10 sen to RM6.69 and RM12.60 respectively.

As for the actives, Techna-X trimmed two sen to 14.5 sen, Vivocom fell 14 sen to 84 sen, Kanger slipped one sen to 13 sen, while Bintai gained seven sen to 73.5 sen, and Iris added half-a-sen to 39.5 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index was 139.36 points lower at 11,709.46, the FBMT 100 Index lost 132.47 points to 11,481.7, the FBM Emas Shariah Index erased 105.2 points to 13,181.34, the FBM 70 slid 250.54 points to 14,907.78, and the FBM ACE slipped 1.25 points to 10,477.2. 

The Industrial Products and Services Index dipped 2.47 points to 172.49, the Plantation Index gave up 76.74 points to 7,281.45 and the Financial Services Index dropped 234.14 points to 15,149.44.

The Main Market volume decreased marginally to 4.79 billion shares worth RM3.07 billion from 4.81 billion shares worth RM2.74 billion on Monday. 

Warrants turnover increased to 625.95 million units worth RM105.86 million from yesterday’s 585.12 million units worth RM104.35 million. 

Volume on the ACE Market dipped to 2.42 billion shares worth RM959.21 million from 2.68 billion shares worth RM815.02 million previously. 

Consumer products and services accounted for 580.31 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (1.45 billion), construction (375.2 million), technology (299.49 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (94.23 million), property (708.47 million), plantations (96.38 million), REITs (12.14 million), closed/fund (13,400), energy (883.59 million), healthcare (71.45 million), telecommunications and media (52.11 million), transportation and logistics (106.03 million), and utilities (58.79 million).

Meanwhile, Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd announced the transfer of Greatech Technology Bhd's shares from the ACE Market to the Main Market under the technology sector.

In a statement, it said the transfer would take effect from Dec 28, 2020, at 9am. ― Bernama