KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — Bursa Malaysia closed higher today on stronger ringgit, an analyst said.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI improved 5.69 points to 1,662.46 from yesterday’s closing of 1,656.77.

The key index opened 2.17 points easier at 1,654.6.

Affin Hwang Investment Bank Vice-President and Retail Research Head, Datuk

Dr Nazri Khan Adam Khan, said the rally was seen across the sectors following the ringgit’s climb to five-month high as resources stocks, including oil gas and plantation, jumped.

“The currency’s movements remained key to the market’s action as the US dollar stayed under pressure from expectations that the Federal Reserve will be in no hurry to raise interest rates after December’s increase,” he told Bernama.           

Among heavyweights, Maybank eased three sen to RM8.54 and Petronas Chemicals slipped two sen to RM6.98.

Public Bank added six sen to RM18.54 and IHH earned one sen to RM6.60.

TNB was flat at RM13.16.

Among actives, Tiger Synergy slipped half a sen to 7.5 sen and XOX lost one sen to 19.5 sen.

Borneo Oil earned half a sen to 15 sen. APFT and Hubline were flat at 22.5 sen and one sen respectively.

Market breadth, however, was negative with loser outpacing gainers 412 to 388 with 312 counters unchanged, 631 counters untraded and 16 others suspended.

Total volume fell to 1.49 billion shares worth RM1.67 billion from yesterday’s 2.05 billion shares worth RM2.08 billion.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index added 5.92 points to 11,526.56 and FBMT100 Index rose 7.97 points to 11,233.8.

The FBM Emas Shariah Index lost 10.279 points to 12,342.82.  The FBM 70 fell 100.931 points to 12,744.93 and the FBM Ace slipped 6.19 points to 5,895.67.

On a sectorial basis, the Plantation Index gained 54.95 points to 7,819.89, Industrial Index improved 10.87 points to 3,253.59 and the Finance Index went up 37.87 points to 13,897.68.

Main Market volume fell to 1.04 billion units worth RM1.58 billion from yesterday’s 1.53 billion units worth RM1.97 billion.

Turnover on the ACE Market contracted to 231.07 million shares valued at RM54.63 million from 276.04 million shares valued at RM63.53 million yesterday.

Warrants decreased to 212.81 million units worth RM39.25 million from 241.66 million units worth RM39.38 million yesterday.

Consumer products accounted for 95.88 million shares traded on the Main

Market, industrial products (178.71 million), construction (24.89 million), trade and services (386.46 million), technology (12.21 million), infrastructure (13.68 million), SPAC (7.89 million), finance (43.69 million), hotels (685,700), properties (253.67 million), plantations (23.53 million), mining (nil), REITs (4.4 million) and closed/fund (18,800). — Bernama