KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 — Bursa Malaysia’s key index ended higher today, supported by renewed buying in selected blue chip stocks, particularly financial services counters, amid mixed regional sentiment. 

At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) added 4.44 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,615.60 from yesterday’s close of 1,611.16.

The benchmark index opened 0.70 of a point higher at 1,611.86 and moved between 1,606.72 and 1,620.76 during the trading session.

However, the broader market was negative, with losers outpacing gainers 648 to 430, while 501 counters were unchanged, 1,201 untraded, and 66 suspended.

Turnover increased to 3.15 billion units worth RM2.68 billion from yesterday’s 2.95 billion units worth RM2.43 billion.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said regional markets were mixed, with Japan and South Korea declining, amid renewed concerns over artificial intelligence (AI)-related investments, while Hong Kong rebounded on bargain hunting in selected technology counters.

“Meanwhile, Brent crude oil climbed above US$116 per barrel amid renewed supply disruptions in West Asia, sustaining inflationary risks.

“On the domestic front, investors continue to assess corporate earnings, elevated crude oil prices and external uncertainties,” he told Bernama. 

Among heavyweight stocks, Maybank, Public Bank and CIMB all climbed two sen to RM10.02, RM4.75 and RM6.91, respectively. Tenaga Nasional and IHH Healthcare were flat at RM13.30 and RM7.85, respectively.

In active trade, Zetrix AI eased 1.5 sen to 6.5 sen, GIIB Holdings shrank 18 sen to 36 sen, JAKS Resources shed half a sen to 14.5 sen, Ni Hsin slid 11 sen to 26 sen, and MAG was flat at 15.5 sen.

Kuala Lumpur Kepong topped the gainers, rising 44 sen to RM20.96, Ayer Holdings added 35 sen to RM8.10, APM Automotive Holdings garnered 25 sen to RM2.60, United Plantations put on 22 sen to RM29.22, and Petronas Dagangan rose 16 sen to RM19.50. 

Among the top losers, Malaysian Pacific Industries fell RM1.72 to RM39.78, Mega Fortris sank 52 sen to RM2.22, UWC declined 49 sen to RM7.15, MI Technovation lost 33 sen to RM6.53, and Hong Leong Bank erased 26 sen to RM21.14.

On the index board, the FBM Mid 70 Index decreased 63.43 points to 17,420.69, the FBM Emas Shariah Index slipped 1.37 points to 12,082.91, and the FBM ACE Index dropped 43.25 points to 5,403.91. 

The FBM Top 100 Index increased 12.90 points to 11,863.86 and the FBM Emas Index climbed 5.84 points to 12,061.73.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index rose 10.05 points to 18,547.99, the Industrial Products and Services Index added 0.98 of a point to 178.37, the Energy Index improved 7.80 points to 852.16, and the Plantation Index jumped 60.52 points to 8,697.42.

The Main Market volume expanded to 1.87 billion units worth RM2.42 billion from 1.57 billion units worth RM2.16 billion on Thursday.     

Warrants turnover dwindled to 893.97 million units worth RM115.16 million against 967.96 million units worth RM122.01 million previously.  

The ACE Market volume slipped to 384.14 million units valued at RM143.92 million from 408.81 million units valued at RM154.11 million yesterday.

Meanwhile, consumer products and services counters accounted for 218.43 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (333.85 million), construction (188.68 million), technology (584.35 million), financial services (94.86 million), property (77.17 million), plantation (20.54 million), real estate investment trusts (14.99 million), closed-end fund (16,800), energy (82.58 million), healthcare (137.24 million), telecommunications and media (36.67 million), transportation and logistics (55.20 million), utilities (26.69 million), and business trusts (nil). — Bernama