KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 — Bursa Malaysia ended marginally lower today in rangebound trading, weighed by profit taking in selected heavyweights.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) finished easier, down 0.35 of a point at 1,689.57 from yesterday’s close of 1,689.92.

After opening 9.57 points weaker at 1,680.35, the local benchmark moved between 1,680.09 and 1,691.61 throughout the day.

Gainers led losers by 411 to 354, while 407 counters were unchanged, 498 untraded and 14 others suspended.

Volume fell to 1.56 billion units worth RM1.57 billion from 1.73 billion units worth RM1.57 billion yesterday.

A dealer said the subdued performance on the local bourse was in line with other regional bourses as investors took profit after three consecutive days of gains in the local market.

“Investors were trading cautiously while digesting economic data amid the announcements by Bank Negara Malaysia on its monetary policy and the Statistics Department’s July external trade numbers,” said the dealer.

The FBM Emas Index improved 4.45 points to 11,874.38, the FBM 70 gained 1.96 points to 13,726.27 while the FBMT 100 Index slid 1.39 points to 11,579.19. The FBM Emas Shariah Index shed 14.65 points to 12,504.43 and the FBM Ace slipped 41.55 points at 5,303.12.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index added 37.61 points to 14,550.55, Plantation Index declined 66.54 points to 7,845.25 and the Industrial Index shed 8.21 points to 3,163.92.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank gained three sen to RM7.90 and Public Bank improved two sen to RM19.92. TNB lost 12 sen to RM14.58, Petronas Chemicals shed one sen to RM6.70 while IHH was flat at RM6.65.

Among actives, Sanichi added one sen to 10 sen, Iris shed one sen to 17 sen, while Sanichi Warrant D and M3 Technologies warrant were both flat at 3.5 sen respectively.

Main Market turnover was lower at 880.76 million shares worth RM1.48 billion from 967.84 million shares worth RM1.48 million yesterday.

The ACE Market volume decreased to 470.30 million units valued at RM62.04 million from 505.71 million units valued at RM57.58 million yesterday.

Warrants declined to 213.42 million shares worth RM36.19 million from 258.60 million shares worth RM34.26 million yesterday.

Consumer products accounted for 67.25 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (246.11 million), construction (54.44 million), trade and services (289.52 million), technology (50.90 million), infrastructure (11.65 million), SPAC (17.46 million), finance (44.07 million), hotels (495,200), properties (48.73 million), plantations (35.61 million), mining (nil), REITs (14.50 million) and closed/fund (11,400). — Bernama