KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 2 ― Bursa Malaysia remained flat at mid-afternoon, moving cautiously in a tight range ahead of the release of US jobs data later today.

At 3.02pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 0.32 of-a-point easier at 1,491.63 from yesterday’s close of 1,491.95. The barometer index opened 1.17 points better at 1,493.12.

On the broader market, decliners outpaced gainers 467 to 259, while 392 counters were unchanged, 1,171 untraded, and 32 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 1.44 billion units worth RM948.27 million.

Among the heavyweights, Maybank added three sen to RM8.94, Public Bank improved two sen to RM4.68, Petronas Chemicals and IHH Healthcare slid one sen each to RM8.77 and RM6.17, respectively, while CIMB was flat at RM5.48.

Of the actives, Dagang NeXchange trimmed 1.5 sen to 80.5 sen, Jade Marvel shed 4.5 sen to 26.5 sen, Aimflex eased half-a-sen to 12.5 sen, South Malaysia edged up half-a-sen to 51.5 sen, while ACE Market debutant SNS Network was flat at 25 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index trimmed 0.72 of-a-point to 10,560.51, the FBMT 100 Index slid 3.98 points to 10,310.56, the FBM 70 shrank 12.05 points to 12,552.55, the FBM ACE slipped 58.48 points to 4,766.56, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index declined 17.09 points to 10,597.52.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index was 52.61 points lower at 6,943.78, the Industrial Products and Services Index slid 0.63 of-a-point to 179.95, the Energy Index shed 12.07 points to 699.26, while the Financial Services Index rose 50.66 points to 16,794.03. ― Bernama