KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) slid 0.32 per cent at close today, amid the fall in oil prices which weighed on trading sentiment in Asia, said dealers.

The bench benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 5.98 points, to close at 1,847.36, after moving between a tight range of 1,845.52 and 1,852.06 throughout the day.

Losers outpaced gainers 438 to 378, with 308 counters unchanged, 522 untraded and 13 others suspended.

Total volume transacted was 1.68 billion shares worth RM2.14 billion from the 1.86 billion shares worth RM1.89 billion yesterday.

“The declining oil prices impacted the sentiment on Asian equities. US crude has hit a low of US$78.14 per barrel, while Brent crude fell $84 a barrel today,” a dealer said. (US$1 = RM3.32).

Oil prices continue to tumble to the lowest levels in more than two years, after top exporter Saudi Arabia reduced the cost of its oil to the United States market, in the face of soaring North American output.

Major regional indices, except Japan’s Nikkei 225, also ended lower today.

The Nikkei 225, which gained 2.73 per cent to 16,862.47, was at a new seven-year high, bucking the trend in Asia as investors continued welcoming the Bank of Japan’s stimulus plan for the country’s economy.

Meanwhile, South Korea’s KOSPI Composite Index fell 0.91 per cent to 1,935.19, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 0.29 per cent to 23,845.66, Indonesia’s Jakarta Composite Index declined 0.07 per cent to 5,081.81, while Singapore’s Strait Times declined 0.34 per cent to 3,279.70.

Meanwhile, on Bursa, the FBM Emas Index was 42.68 points lower at 12,835.42, the FBMT100 Index fell 41.05 points to 12,471.55 and the FBM Emas Syariah Index was 35.81 points easier at 13,322.30.

The FBM 70 lost 48.78 points to 14,107.72, while the FBM Ace bucked the trend by improving 54.63 points to 6,604.67.

Sector wise, the Industrial Index gained 5.98 points to 3,274.79, while the Plantation Index fell 25.29 points to 8,483.25 and the Finance Index slid 68.37 points to 16,728.20.

Among actively-traded stocks, Efficient E-Solutions rose five sen to 40 sen, YGL Convergence gained 4.5 sen to 41 sen, and Sumatec Resources added half-a-sen to 34 sen.

MISC Bhd led the top gainers, increasing 22 sen to RM7.12, while the top loser was British American Tobacco, which tumbled RM1.52 to RM67.86.

Main Market volume fell to 1.25 billion units worth RM2.00 billion against yesterday’s 1.36 billion units valued at RM1.76 billion.

Turnover on the ACE Market fell to 360.53 million shares valued at RM124.96 million from the 435.00 million shares worth RM127.22 million.

Warrants rose to 58.60 million units worth RM6.54 million from 55.40 million units valued at RM5.66 million on Monday.

Consumer products accounted for 65.37 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (202.89 million), construction (42.05 million), trade and services (617.28 million), technology (108.28 million), infrastructure (18.06 million), SPAC (45.51 million), finance (39.41 million), hotels (313,900), properties (77.58 million), plantations (30.58 million), mining (219,000), REITs (5.02 million) and closed/fund (37,200). — Bernama