KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — Bursa Malaysia closed higher today, in line with most of the regional markets after ended sharply lower Tuesday, as a bullish outlook on the global economic triggered buying activities in selected consumer products and services counters, dealers said.
The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 8.37 points to 1,599.89 at close after trading between 1,591.11 and 1,600.91 throughout the day.
The market barometer opened 2.45 points higher at 1,593.97.
A dealer said Asian stock markets were mostly rebounded from earlier losses, driven by positive data that showed improving services-sector activity in China last month.
However, he said investors remained concerned over any new development on the China-US trade talks, as officials from both countries were struggling to agree on the next step after the US rejected China’s request to delay tariffs that took effect over the weekend.
Earlier today, most of the regional peers were traded lower following Wall Street’s stumble after poor US manufacturing data raised recession fears.
Among heavyweights, Maybank rose two sen to RM8.72, Public Bank climbed 18 sen to RM20.26, Petronas Chemicals advanced three sen to RM6.83 while TNB and IHH Healthcare were flat at RM13.76 and RM5.76, respectively.
As for actives, Bumi Armada added 1.5 sen to 26.5 sen, Priceworth International went up one sen to six sen, NETX earned half-a-sen to 1.5 sen while Vsolar eased half-a-sen to 13 sen.
The FBM Emas Index improved 53.10 points to 11,253.72, the FBMT100 Index was 50.52 points higher at 11,092.35 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index added 64.99 points to 11,787.04.
The FBM Ace gained 24.73 points to 4,467.30 and the FBM 70 expanded 31.31 points to 13,767.38.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index went up 50.25 points to 15,480.16, the Plantation Index increased 55.24 points to 6,815.51, and the Industrial Products and Services Index was 0.636 of-a-point higher at 147.53.
Market breadth was positive as gainers thumped losers 479 to 308, with 399 counters unchanged, 751 untraded and 12 others suspended.
Turnover was higher at 2.49 billion units worth RM1.73 billion from Tuesday’s 2.26 billion units worth RM1.59 billion.
Main Market volume rose to 1.44 billion shares valued at RM1.50 billion from Tuesday’s 1.31 billion shares valued at RM1.42 billion.
Warrants turnover increased to 620.60 million units worth RM140.88 million from yesterday’s 476.08 million units worth RM126.87 million.
Volume on the ACE Market shrank to 435.05 million shares valued at RM85.64 million from 475.05 million shares valued at RM45.98 million previously.
Consumer products and services accounted for 209.53 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (241.34 million), construction (75.57 million), technology (121.89 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (41.34 million), property (112.51 million), plantations (14.21 million), REITs (11.06 million), closed/fund (23,200), energy (359.99 million), healthcare (17.06 million), telecommunications and media (183.26 million), transportation and logistics (34.61 million), and utilities (15.39 million). — Bernama
