KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 — The benchmark index on Bursa Malaysia ended a half-day trading session marginally lower on lack of catalyst and ahead of the long weekend.

At 12.30 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI finished at 1,726.73, down 0.53 of-a-point, after fluctuating between 1,720.7 and 1,727.5.

The local bourse will be closed tomorrow for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive and resume trading on Monday.

On the broader market, losers edged gainers 330 to 314, with 269 counters unchanged, 897 untraded and 12 others were suspended.

Total volume fell to 841.03 million units, valued at RM1.03 million, from 1.31 billion units, valued at RM1.70 billion, on Wednesday. 

Of heavyweights, Petronas Chemicals added two sen to RM6.40, Maybank was flat at RM9.20, Public Bank declined two sen to RM18.98, TNB lost 30 sen to RM12.36 and Axiata eased one sen to RM6.37.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index gained 5.78 points to 11,888.44, the FBMT100 Index added 3.87 points to 11,577.4 but the FBM Emas Syariah was 24.95 points lower at 12,331.8.

The FBM 70 gained 31.75 points to 12,798.84 and the FBM Ace increased 14.11 points to 6,163.02.

On a sectoral basis, the Finance Index garnered 32.05 points to 15,532.5, the Industrial Index inched up 0.96 of-a-point to 3,190.95 and the Plantation Index appreciated 16.68 points to 7,504.46.      

Among actives, Perwaja and APFT edged up half-a-sen each to 28.5 sen and 20 sen, respectively, Frontken Corp added 1.5 sen to 26.5 sen, JAKS Resources added eight sen to 90 sen and Kinsteel declined 2.5 sen to 17 sen. 

Main Market volume decreased to 547.50 million shares, worth RM938.14 milion, against yesterday’s 830.47 million shares worth RM1.53 billion.

Turnover on the ACE Market declined to 110.53 million units, valued at RM27.65 million, from 208.64 million units, valued at RM62.93 million, on Wednesday.

Warrants fell to 181.74 million shares, valued at RM68.76 million, from 267.26 million shares, worth RM106.11 million, registered previously.

Consumer products accounted for 48.75 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (178.4 million), construction (33.74 million), trade and services (173.59 million), technology (23.24 million), infrastructure (17.23 million), SPAC (3.12 million), finance (18.19 million), hotels (1.96), properties (43.63 million), plantations (4.27 million), mining (15,000), REITs (1.37 million), and closed/fund (3,200).— Bernama