KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — Bursa Malaysia ended mixed on continued selling of most index-linked stocks on weak buying sentiment, amid a subdued regional performance, dealers said.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended trading on Friday at 1,686.52, down 6.87 points, from Thursday’s close of 1,693.39.

The barometer index moved between 1,683.71 and 1,690.43 throughout the day, after opening 4.88 points lower at 1,688.51.

Market breadth was, however, positive with 407 gainers and 344 losers while 347 counters remained unchanged, 756 untraded and 24 others were suspended.

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Total volume rose to 2.48 billion shares valued at RM1.72 billion versus Thursday’s 1.42 billion shares worth RM1.2 billion.

Bank Islam chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the FBM KLCI was to breach the immediate resistance level of 1,700 points.

“However, external developments continued to take centre stage. Issues surrounding the trade negotiations between the United States (US) and China has always been the source of market instability,” he told Bernama.

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Hopes of a trade deal being concluded between US with China was still far off, according to National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow.

Additionally, the meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping of China was not expected to be held before March 1.

Among heavyweights, Maybank lost one sen to RM9.58, Tenaga fell 22 sen to RM13.20 while Public Bank rose six sen to RM24.92, Petronas Chemicals and CIMB increased two sen each to RM8.45 and RM5.67, respectively.

Of  actives, Sapura Energy gained 1.5 sen to 28 sen, Bumi Armada added one sen to 23.5 sen and Karex improved 5.5 sen to 43.5 sen.

The FBM Emas Index eased 27.9 points to 11,725.52, the FBMT 100 Index decreased 31.42 points to 11,601.54 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index erased 48.64 points to 11,593.03.

The FBM 70 improved 27.33 points to 14,032.9 and the FBM Ace Index rose 38.24 points to 4,555.22.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index added 2.94 points to 17,642.11, the Industrial Products and Services Index increased 0.53 points to 161.97 and the Plantation Index shed 20.17 points to 7,299.6.

Main Market volume rose to 1.9 billion shares, valued at RM1.59 billion, against Thursday’s 1.11 billion shares, valued at RM1.15 billion.

Warrants turnover narrowed to 389.26 million units, worth RM90.31 million, versus Thursday’s 120.26 million units, worth RM15.1 million.

Volume on the ACE Market rose to 191.34 million shares, valued at RM35.98 million, compared with 187.38 million shares, valued at RM29 million, transacted on Thursday.

Consumer products and services accounted for 221.67 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (159.62 million), construction (102.93 million), technology (141.04 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (41.61 million), property (79.85 million), plantations (45.8 million), REITs (12.88 million), closed/fund (1,000), energy (989.62 million), healthcare (19.86 million), telecommunications and media (48 million), transportation and logistics (21.61 million), and utilities (18.62 million). — Bernama