KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 31 — Bursa Malaysia closed marginally lower today on last-minute selling in heavyweights, dealers said.

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) moved in positive territory earlier but profit-taking in index-linked counters emerged in the last 10 minutes of trading, pushing the key index to settle at its intraday low.

At 5pm, the FBM KLCI was 0.03 per cent or 0.58 of-a-point easier at 1,683.53 from Wednesday’s close of 1,684.11.

The barometer index moved between 1,683.53 and 1,695.40 throughout the day, after opening 10.75 points firmer at 1,694.86.

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Market breadth was however positive with 424 gainers and 385 losers, 350 counters unchanged, 755 untraded and 84 others suspended.

Total volume rose to 2.36 billion shares worth RM2.41 billion, from Wednesday’s 1.91 billion shares valued at RM1.73 billion.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd head of research Kenny Yee said the marginal fall in the benchmark index was due to profit-taking by some investors ahead of the long weekend.

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“Besides that, they may be cautious over the outcome of the ongoing trade talks between US and China.

“But overall, we see that the smaller cap stocks on the local bourse are doing well as the overall market breadth which is positive, coupled with foreign fund inflow which stands at over RM900 million year-to-date,” Yee told Bernama.

Bursa Malaysia will be closed Friday for the Federal Territory Day.

Among heavyweights, Maybank fell six sen to RM9.54, Public Bank and CIMB eased four sen each to RM24.78 and RM5.62, respectively, Tenaga lost 24 sen to RM12.90 and CIMB increased one sen to RM5.67.

Petronas Chemicals added 12 sen to RM8.45.

For the most active stocks, Sapura Energy, Bumi Armada and Jag fell half-a-sen each to 26.5 sen, 20 sen and eight sen respectively.

The FBM Emas Index was 3.50 points firmer at 11,660.62, the FBMT 100 Index gained 1.90 points to 11,545.21 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index improved 16.61 points to 11,552.61.

The FBM Ace Index added 26.00 points to 4,402.10 and the FBM 70 increased 26.40 points to 13,817.21.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index was 49.21 points weaker at 17,514.97 but the Plantation Index rose 31.76 points higher at 7,280.24 and the Industrial Products and Services Index was 1.15 points better at 161.11.

Main Market volume expanded to 1.71 billion shares worth RM2.28 billion, against Wednesday’s 1.32 billion shares valued at RM1.61 billion.

Warrants turnover rose to 367.88 million units valued at RM86.47 million, from 333.37 million units worth RM70.65 million transacted yesterday.

Volume on the ACE Market improved to 289.65 million shares worth RM42.13 million, compared with 257.94 million shares valued at RM43.57 million recorded on Wednesday.

Consumer products and services accounted for 233.59 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (227.02 million), construction (99.90 million), technology (117.58 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (65.63 million), property (91.22 million), plantations (38.93 million), REITs (17.04 million), closed/fund (41,100), energy (645.80 million), healthcare (33.25 million), telecommunications and media (53.14 million), transportation and logistics (55.06 million), and utilities (32.40 million). — Bernama