KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 — Bursa Malaysia ended lower as declining oil prices dampened investor sentiment after a producers meeting in Doha failed to come up with a plan to curb a global glut.
The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 10.31 points to 1,717.68 from the close on Friday of 1,727.99.
The benchmark index, which opened 8.2 points lower at 1,719.79 today, hovered between 1,710.44 and 1,721.39 through the day.
Market breadth was negative, with losers outpacing gainers 558 to 251 with 359 counters unchanged, 555 counters untraded and 10 others were suspended.
Total volume increased to 1.73 billion shares, worth RM1.68 billion, from 1.58 billion shares, valued at RM1.70 billion, on Friday.
A dealer said the FBM KLCI would likely consolidate within 1,700 and 1,727 this week owing to the fall in crude oil prices.
International benchmark Brent crude futures fell almost 7 per cent in early trading today before recovering to US$40.97 per barrel, which was still 2.15 per cent lower since its last settlement.
Among heavyweights, Maybank fell a sen to RM9.16, TNB eased 2 sen to RM14.38 and Public Bank declined 12 sen to RM19.08.
Among active stocks, AirAsia X was pegged at 34.5 sen, Eka Noodles fell 2.5 sen to 12.5 sen, Vivokom eased 0.5 sen to 30.5 sen and AirAsia lost 8 sen to RM2.05.
The FBM Emas Index declined 74.7 points to 11,922.37, the FBMT100 Index eased 74.44 points to 11,618.77 and the FBM Emas Syariah Index lost 54.33 points to 12,485.43.
The FBM 70 gave up 101.46 points to 13,224.58 and the FBM Ace fell 75.43 points to 5,646.99.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index lost 140.45 points to 14,894.25, the Industrial Index trimmed 10.59 points to 3,280.38 and the Plantation Index decreased 14.17 points to 7,771.08.
Main Market turnover strengthened to 1.24 billion units, worth RM1.61 billion, from 1.20 billion units, worth RM1.63 billion, registered on Friday.
The ACE Market turnover expanded to 303.34 million shares, valued at RM54.74 million, from 251.07 million shares valued at RM50.57 million on Friday.
Warrants increased to 187.19 million, valued at RM21.43 million, from 131.38 million units, worth RM16.94 million, recorded previously.
Consumer products accounted for 159.06 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (203.67 million), construction (65.54 million), trade and services (628.32 million), technology (22.04 million), infrastructure (5.58 million), SPAC (23.58 million), finance (56.71 million), hotels (9.26 million), properties (50.38 million), plantations (15.70 million), mining (10,000), REITs (9.44 million), and closed/fund (30,700). — Bernama
