KUALA LUMPUR, April 20 — Bursa Malaysia ended mixed as news on lower-than-expected inflation helped boost buying support for small-cap stocks, however, gains were limited by losses in heavyweights.

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended 2.24 points easier at 1,708.91, from yesterday's close of 1,711.15.   

After opening at 1,713.36, the local benchmark hovered between 1,704.7 and 1,715.43.

Market breadth was slightly positive with gainers outpacing losers 413 to 384 with 386 counters unchanged, 541 counters untraded and eight others were suspended.

Total volume increased to 1.74 billion shares worth RM2.05 billion from 1.49 billion shares worth RM1.9 billion recorded yesterday.

A dealer said Malaysia's consumer price index was 2.6 per cent higher year-on-year in March, which was below the median forecast of 3.6 per cent and sharply lower from February's 4.2 per cent.

"The FTSE Bursa Malaysia Small Cap Index jumped 49.31 points to 15,700.96 at the close today," he added.

Leading the top losers list, heavyweight British American Tobacco fell RM1.66 to RM53.88, followed by Panasonic Manufacturing, which was down 40 sen to RM28.70 and Lafarge shed 16 sen to RM8.95.

As for other heavyweights, Maybank eased half-a-sen to RM9.03, TNB and IHH were flat at RM14.40 and RM6.67, respectively, and Public Bank added two sen to RM19.02.

Among active stocks, AirAsia X gained 3.5 sen to 38.5 sen, Bumi Armada perked 5.5 sen to 77.5 sen and Spring Gallery rose 10.5 sen to 90.5 sen.

The FBM Emas Index declined 3.58 points to 11,885.41, the FBMT100 Index decreased 6.12 points to 11,577.75 and the FBM Emas Syariah Index lost 8.5 points to 12,445.87.

The FBM 70 gained 25.36 points to 13,243.41 while the FBM Ace shed 3.58 points to 5,666.76.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index added 7.16 points to 14,844.54, the Industrial Index trimmed 11.32 points to 3,263.08 and the Plantation Index decreased 25.72 points to 7,729.64.

Main Market turnover rose to 1.3 billion units worth RM1.98 billion from 1.13 billion units worth RM1.84 billion recorded yesterday.

The ACE Market turnover increased to 268.49 million shares valued at RM52.01 million from 208.19 million shares valued at RM45.83 million previously.

Warrants improved to 176.09 million units valued at RM22.88 million from 149.81 million valued at RM19.06 million on Tuesday.

Consumer products accounted for 196.7 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (224.27 million), construction (58.41 million), trade and services (623.5 million), technology (28.05 million), infrastructure (9.49 million), SPAC (11.31 million), finance (48.99 million), hotels (1.67 million), properties (65.87 million), plantations (24.42 million), mining (184,000), REITs (10.49 million), and closed/fund (66,300). — Bernama