KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — Bursa Malaysia turned mixed at close today as last-minute buying emerged in selected heavyweights to limit earlier losses, and despite a similar mixed sentiment on regional markets, dealers said.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI finished at 1,826.03, up 0.12 of-a-point from yesterday’s close of 1,825.91, after opening 1.77 points better at 1,827.68.

The market barometer moved between 1,818.64 and 1,827.68 throughout the day.

Overall market breadth, however, was bearish as losers outnumbered gainers 765 to 324, while 358 counters were unchanged, 376 untraded and 22 others suspended.

Turnover rose to 6.53 billion units valued at RM3.37 billion from Monday’s 5.40 billion units valued at RM3.33 billion.

A dealer said Asian bourses traded mixed today as investors awaited key US earnings data and interest rate decision from the Bank of China on Wednesday.

He said investors also seemed to be excited by potentially hawkish policy shifts from central banks in Europe and Japan and the improving political outlook in the euro area, among others.

The FBM Emas Index fell by 16.26 points to 13,188.04, the FBMT 100 Index eased 11.49 points to 12,835.82, with the FBM Emas Shariah Index 19.66 points weaker at 13,640.43.

The FBM 70 dropped 56.27 points to 16,423.43 and the FBM Ace fell 39.68 points to 6,780.76.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index eased 19.86 points to 17,190.80, the Industrial Index shed 37.64 points to 3,356.42 and the Plantation Index eased 28.72 points to 8,095.68.

Among heavyweights, Maybank, Public Bank and CIMB Group were flat at RM9.85, RM20.88 and RM6.79 respectively, TNB rose six sen to RM15.88 and Petronas Chemicals improved one sen to RM8.19.

Of the actives, Sumatec and Daya Materials added 1.5 sen each to 12 sen and 10.5 sen as Perisai Petroleum gained four sen to nine sen, while Globaltec earned half-a-sen to six sen.

Main Market volume rose to 4.89 billion units worth RM3.14 billion from 3.93 billion units worth RM3.08 billion on Monday.

Volume on the ACE Market improved to 1.12 billion shares valued at RM148.64 million from yesterday’s 871.20 million shares valued at RM153.36 million.

Warrants’ volume decreased to 510.20 million units worth RM80.60 million from 596.12 million units worth RM102.41 million.

Consumer products accounted for 139.51 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (1.12 billion), construction (283 million), trade and services (3.03 billion), technology (100.51 million), infrastructure (6.89 million), SPAC (4.56 million), finance (63.01 million), hotels (666,600), properties (94.18 million), plantations (40.74 million), mining (1.43 million), REITs (3.93 million), and closed/fund (94,000). — Bernama