Share prices end mixed to higher in cautious trading as investors take profits

KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 — Share prices on Bursa Malaysia ended mixed to higher in cautious trading as investors took profits off the table.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 0.93 of a point to 1,867.35 after hovering between 1,864.91 points and 1,870.89 points through the day.

Market breadth was negative as losers led gainers 468 to 395, while 318 counters were unchanged, 447 untraded and 19 others were suspended.

Turnover was lower at 2.23 billion shares, worth RM2.09 billion, from 2.6 billion shares, valued at RM2.87 billion, recorded yesterday.

Maybank Investment Bank Research said the benchmark index was poised to head higher after breaking through the key 1,839.26 level recently.

“The KLCI April Futures have moved into a small 0.58 of a point premium against the FBM KLCI and we expect firm buying to emerge near the support zone of 1,848 points to 1,866 points,” the research house said in a note.

On the scoreboard, the Industrial Index lost 2.96 points to 3,183.61 points, the Finance Index 23.01 points to 17,139.85 points and the Plantation Index 26.1 points to 8,974.38 points.

The FBM Emas Index gained 1.17 points to 12,968.69, the FBMT100 Index rose 5.22 points to 12,601.51, the FBM 70 added 1.81 points to 14,235.39, but the Ace Index was 17.06 points lower at 6,926.22.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank rose 1.0 sen to RM10, CIMB and Axiata added 2.0 sen each to RM7.53 and RM6.63 respectively, Public Bank lost 10 sen to RM20.28 and TNB was flat at RM11.94.

Among actives, 1 Utopia, Hubline and Talam Transform fell 0.5 sen each to 7.5 sen, 4.0 sen and 10 sen respectively.

Main Market volume was lower at 1.75 billion units worth RM1.99 billion from the 1.91 billion units worth RM2.74 billion yesterday.

Turnover on the ACE market dwindled to 411.9 million shares valued at RM90.58 million from 651.19 million shares worth RM117.13 million registered yesterday.

Warrants widened to 66.02 million units worth RM7.31 million from 33.95 million units worth RM5.21 million yesterday.

Consumer products accounted for 97.61 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products 267.41 million, construction 98 million, trade and services 713.54 million, technology 93.02 million, infrastructure 12.48 million, SPAC 26.21 million, finance 70.09 million, hotels 7.87 million, properties

295.41 million, plantations 60.34 million, mining 31,200, REITs 8.63 million and closed/fund 49,000. — Bernama