KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 28 — The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose at the early session led by selected heavyweights, IHH Healthcare and RHB Bank on the back of stronger financial performances for the year ended December 31, 2018.
However, the overall market sentiment on Bursa Malaysia was lower with losers slightly outpacing gainers this morning.
At 9.15am, the benchmark index stood at 1,716.88, rose by 3.43 points from Wednesday's close of 1,713.45.
The index opened 1.93 points higher at 1,715.38.
JF Apex Research said the FBM KLCI could trend lower towards the support level of 1700 points following the escalating tensions between neighbouring India and Pakistan.
“The US markets ended flat overnight following uncertainties on the US-China trade deal, the Federal Reserve monetary policy and geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan. Earlier, European stocks declined ahead of the meeting between leaders of the US and North Korea,” it said in a note today.
On the broader market, losers led gainers 184 to 162, while 190 counters were unchanged, 1,341 untraded and 52 others suspended.
Turnover stood at 237.92 million shares worth RM130.90 million.
Among heavyweights, IHH Healthcare jumped 18 sen to RM5.84, RHB Bank surged 14 sen to RM5.73, Genting Bhd soared 13 sen to RM7.45, PPB Group advanced 18 sen to RM18.68, Maybank gained two sen to RM9.60 and CIMB added one sen to RM5.87.
Public Bank and Hong Leong Bank were flat at RM25.06 and RM21.30, respectively, while both TNB and Petronas Chemicals declined two sen to RM13.46 and RM9.27.
Of actives, IFCA increased 3.5 sen to 29 sen, TH Heavy Engineering edged up half-a-sen to 5.5 sen, Iris Corp was flat at 13 sen, KNM and Dagang Nexchange shed 1.5 sen each to nine sen and 28 sen, respectively, while AirAsia lost 20 sen to RM2.84, Seacera slipped 3.5 sen to 31 sen.
The FBM Emas Index advanced 3.77 points to 11,914.47, the FBM Emas Shariah Index went up 3.44 points to 11,824.39 and the FBMT 100 improved 6.37 points to 11,782.23.
The FBM Ace Index expanded 17.06 points to 4,673.16 but the FBM 70 erased 63.47 points to 14,135.27.
Sectorwise, the Financial Services Index was 35.33 points higher at 17,903.86, the Plantation Index eased 1.68 points to 7,277.52 and the Industrial Products and Services Index was 0.34 of-a-point lower at 168.75. — Bernama
