KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 23 — Share prices on Bursa Malaysia closed on a mixed note today on lack of buying momentum ahead of the weekend.  

However, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) closed 0.7 of-a-point higher at 1,721.07 after moving between 1,721.07 and 1,729.86 throughout the day.

Affin Investment Bank Vice President/Head of Retail Research Dr Nazri Khan said positive economic data in China, the US and Europe as well as attractive bargain-hunting interest should give equity bulls the opportunity to regain near-term control.

“We believe the coincident upturn in Chinese and Eurozone manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index are encouraging and will provide short-term lift to the broad market as investors digest that global recession risk has diminished this year,” he told Bernama.

Asian markets were mostly lower with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index slipping 0.15 per cent to 21,863.51 and Singapore’s Straits Times Index sheding 0.06 per cent to 3,087.68.

However, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 2.21 per cent to 13,660.55.

On the local front, losers edged gainers 392 to 385, with 283 counters unchanged, 525 untraded and 18 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 1.780 billion shares worth RM2.235 billion against  2.434 billion shares worth RM3.442 billion yesterday.

On the scoreboard, the Finance Index added 40.87 points to 16,242.83, the Plantation Index was up 10.11 points to 8,101.72 but the Industrial Index eased 9.61 points to 2,907.58.

The FBM Emas Index declined 7.26 points to 11,958.82, the FBM 70 Index lost 49.56 points to 13,574.14 while the FBM ACE Index was 22.89 points higher at 5,250.41.

Among actives, MQ Technology gained 2.5 sen to 22 sen, MAS was flat at 32.5 sen while The Media Shoppe dipped half-a-sen to 8.5 sen and Flonic Hi-Tec fell three sen to 13.5 sen.

As for heavyweights, Maybank added eight sen to RM9.95 and YTL Corp went up one sen to RM1.58.

CIMB fell two sen to RM7.54 while Axiata declined six sen to RM6.52.

Volume on the Main Market fell to 1.346 billion units worth RM2.156 billion from 1.941 million units worth RM3.354 billion recorded yesterday.

Turnover on the ACE market decreased to 388.894 million shares valued at RM74.545 million from 424.924 million shares worth RM79.80 million yesterday.

Warrants declined to 44.786 million shares worth RM3.999 million from   65.603 million shares worth RM7.163 million yesterday.

Consumer products accounted for 84.976 million shares on the Main Market, industrial products 187.522 million, construction 100.412 million, trade and services 586.445 million, technology 53.902 million, infrastructure 26.143 million, SPAC 91.557 million, finance 73.482 million, hotels 652,300, properties 117.366 million, plantations 15.176 million, mining 16,700, REITs 7.982 million and closed/fund 410,600. — Bernama