KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — Persistent selling in selected consumer products and services as well as healthcare counters dragged Bursa Malaysia to end lower today after three consecutive days of gains, amid the cautious sentiment across most regional markets, dealers said.

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) declined 16.79 points to 1,606.68 compared to Monday’s close of 1,623.47.

The market bellwether opened 0.26 of-a-point lower at 1,623.21 and moved between 1,603.82 and 1,623.25 during the trading session.

Overall market breadth remained negative as losers thumped gainers 687 versus 417, while 433 counters were unchanged, 663 untraded and 29 others suspended.

Total volume slipped to 7.17 billion shares worth RM5.07 billion from 8.30 billion shares worth RM5.59 billion on Monday.

A dealer said most Asian markets were traded in a cautious mode ahead of the key US Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting scheduled on April 27-28, as well as the resurgence in Covid-19 cases, particularly in the Asian region.

Investors were expected to remain on the sidelines to await the outcome of the Fed meeting, where Chair Jerome Powell is expected to give a clearer indication on whether the improving economic conditions warrant a tapering of monetary easing.

Regionally, Japan’s Nikkei 225 dipped 0.46 per cent to 28,991.89, China’s Hang Seng slipped 0.04 per cent to 28,941.54, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index added 0.24 per cent to 3,212.54.

Back home, Nestle and Hartalega were among the top losers, declining 50 sen to RM136 and 48 sen to RM10.70 respectively.

Among heavyweights, Maybank shed 10 sen to RM8.26, Public Bank and TNB went down 2.0 sen each to RM4.17 and RM9.98, respectively, Petronas Chemicals fell 6.0 sen to RM7.85, while Top Glove decreased 12 sen to RM5.78.

Among the active counters, Focus Dynamics slipped 1.5 sen to 13 sen, Careplus declined 2.0 sen to RM2.74, while Kanger International earned half-a-sen to 7.5 sen, and Sedania Innovator rose 4.5 sen to 27.5 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index dipped 89.93 points to 11,847.98, the FBMT 100 erased 92.46 points to 11,500.12, the FBM 70 shed 19.61 points to 15,698.01, the FBM Emas Shariah dropped 101.89 points to 13,342.42, but the FBM ACE improved 5.56 points to 8,906.48.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index lost 32.20 points to 6,852.54, the Financial Services Index was weaker by 99.77 points at 14,951.84 and the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down 0.85 of-a-point to 196.81.

Main Market volume slipped to 3.40 billion shares worth RM3.53 billion compared with 4.47 billion shares worth RM4.21 billion on Monday.

Warrants turnover decreased to 410.41 million units valued at RM47.97 million from 424.38 million units valued at RM49.27 million previously.

Volume on the ACE Market narrowed to 3.36 billion shares worth RM1.49 billion from 3.41 billion shares worth RM1.33 billion yesterday.

Consumer products and services accounted for 595.97 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (1.13 billion), construction (146.55 million), technology (529.19 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (57.31 million), property (346.13 million), plantations (26.08 million), REITs (7.09 million), closed/fund (36,800), energy (190.56 million), healthcare (192.08 million), telecommunications and media (84.08 million), transportation and logistics (108.20 million), and utilities (20.65 million). — Bernama