KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — Bursa Malaysia closed lower today on lack of buying interest as traders awaited the outcome of the US Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, dealers said.

At the close, the key FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 3.08 points to end at 1,773.58 against yesterday’s close of 1,776.66.

Earlier, the benchmark index opened 0.37 of-a-point higher at 1,777.03.

Market breadth was negative as losers led gainers 476 to 377 with 384 counters unchanged, 600 untraded and 23 others suspended.

Volume rose to 3.14 billion units worth RM2.38 billion from 2.01 billion units worth RM1.92 billion yesterday.

A dealer said buying interest stayed muted ahead of the shortened trading week as market players remained on the sidelines, awaiting a new trading direction.

“Lower liners and broader market shares also remained on the wayside as trading activities waned due to the guarded market environment and few convincing trading catalyst,” he said.

He said the FOMC meeting could influence the direction of the market as the US central bank was expected to announce a lowering of monthly bond purchases, starting next month, in a move to unwind its huge balance sheet.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index was 10.399 points lower at 12,644.12, the FBMT 100 Index went down 19.551 points to 12,294.68, the FBM Emas Shariah Index retreated 14.67 points to 12,845.33 and the FBM 70 fell 17.399 points to 15,113.82.

The FBM Ace increased 16.46 points to 6,677.62.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index decreased 28.48 points to 7,925.34, the Finance Index fell 19.869 points to 16,742.38 and the Industrial Index went down 3.06 points to 3,232.36.

Market breadth was negative as losers led gainers by 476 to 377 with 384 counters unchanged, 600 untraded and 23 others suspended.

Volume rose to 3.14 billion units worth RM2.38 billion from 2.01 billion units worth RM1.92 billion yesterday.

For heavyweights, Maybank added four sen to RM9.85 while Public Bank was flat at RM20.60.

TNB lost six sen to RM14.50, Sime Darby erased five sen to RM9.13 and Petronas Chemicals shed seven sen to RM7.29.

Among active counters, Hibiscus jumped 18.5 sen to 65 sen, UMW O&G perked five sen to 35 sen, KNM climbed three sen to 28.5 sen and Hubline and Sumatec added one sen each to 7.5 sen and 6.5 sen respectively.

The Main Market volume increased to 2.54 billion shares worth RM2.29 billion from yesterday’s 1.49 billion shares worth RM1.83 billion.

Volume on the ACE Market expanded to 382.15 million valued at RM65.70 million from yesterday’s 379.7 million shares valued at RM73.41 million.

Warrants swelled to 216.88 million units worth RM18.72 million from 125.24 million units worth RM15.76 million previously.

Consumer products accounted for 58.23 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (885.71 million), construction (88.32 million), trade and services (1.18 billion), technology (94.27 million), infrastructure (4 million), SPAC (778,300), finance (123.86 million), hotels (3.87 million), properties (80.38 million), plantations (15 million), mining (34,700), REITs (2.2 million), and closed/fund (3,000). — Bernama