KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 ― Bursa Malaysia continued to stay in the negative zone at mid-afternoon today with the key index remaining in consolidation mode ahead of the weekend. 

At 3.05pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 2.97 points to 1,524.65 from yesterday’s close of 1,527.62. 

Gainers outpaced losers 509 to 424, while 405 counters were unchanged, 898 untraded, and 31 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 3.62 billion units worth RM2.07 billion.

Of the heavyweights, TNB and IHH Healthcare added one sen each to RM9.75 and RM5.81, respectively, while Petronas Chemicals was flat at RM8.08, Maybank and Public Bank both declined one sen to RM8.03 and RM4.01. 

Among the actives, Globaltec jumped nine sen to 77 sen, Serba Dinamik edged up half-a-sen to 43 sen, KYM surged 23.5 sen to 72 sen, Pasukhas was flat at 10.5 sen, and Kanger inched down half-a-sen to seven sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index decreased 1.36 points to 11,187.04, the FBMT 100 Index fell 6.31 points to 10,881.45, but the FBM ACE advanced 18.99 points to 7,401.15. 

The FBM Emas Shariah Index was 12.74 points higher at 12,334.73, and the FBM 70 climbed 49.43 points to 14,734.03.  

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index declined 27.19 points to 14,857.32, the Plantation Index widened 18.38 points to 6,261.85, and the Industrial Products and Services Index rose 0.46 of-a-point to 190.57. ― Bernama