KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — Bursa Malaysia closed firmer today on buying interest in selected heavyweights and amid positive developments in US-China trade tensions.
The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) strengthened 5.36 points to 1,595.18 after trading between 1,584.83 and 1,597.39.
The market barometer opened 3.54 points higher at 1,593.63.
A dealer said the FBM KLCI reversed losses in the morning session to end higher on fresh comments from China that Beijing and Washington were in discussions and would try to resolve the year-long trade dispute between both economies.
“The new development also helped improve sentiment in the region which saw most market rebound,” he said.
Within South-east Asia, the benchmark indices in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos and the Philippines all recorded gains with the exception of Vietnam.
On the local bourse, Maybank added four sen to RM8.57, TNB gained six sen to RM13.80 and IHH earned two sen to RM5.77.
Public Bank was flat at RM20.32, while Petronas Chemicals lost 13 sen to RM6.77.
As for actives, Vsolar and Opcom slipped half-a-sen each to 13.5 sen and 63 sen respectively.
Ekovest bagged 1.5 sen to 82.5 sen and MNC Wireless and Sapura gained half-a-sen each to eight sen and 27 sen respectively.
The FBM Emas Index improved 9.681 points to 11,223.15, the FBMT100 Index was 11.771 points higher at 11,062.12 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index increased 10.74 points to 11,778.53.
The FBM Ace eased 27.88 points to 4,510.39 and the FBM 70 fell 91 points to 13,739.91.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index edged up 17.74 points to 15,370.55 and the Plantation Index expanded 59.9 points to 6,817.79, while the Industrial Products and Services Index was 0.5 of-a-point lower at 146.86.
Market breadth was negative as losers outpaced gainers 451 to 338, with 401 counters unchanged, 401 untraded and 64 others suspended.
Turnover was higher at 1.99 billion units worth RM1.66 billion from Wednesday’s 1.93 billion units worth RM1.54 billion.
Main Market volume was flat at yesterday’s 1.14 billion, but value increased to RM1.47 billion from RM1.34 billion yesterday.
Warrants turnover rose to 557.23 million units worth RM123.82 million from yesterday’s 434.90 million units worth RM91.45 million.
Volume on the ACE Market contracted to 297.79 million shares valued at RM69.45 million from 356.73 million shares valued at RM104.18 million previously.
Consumer products and services accounted for 163.02 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (165.57 million), construction (99.69 million), technology (102.97 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (40.86 million), property (120.21 million), plantations (14.18 million), REITs (11.22 million), closed/fund (21,000), energy (219.02 million), healthcare (13.28 million), telecommunications and media (150.33 million), transportation and logistics (19.41 million), and utilities (23.07 million). — Bernama
