KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — Bursa Malaysia ended the day higher on the back of positive sentiment surrounding the global market due to easing tensions between the United States and China.
At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 3.42 points to 1,593.00.
The index opened 0.10 of-a-point lower at 1,589.48 from yesterday’s close of 1,589.58 and moved between 1,589.21 and 1,593.05 throughout the day.
Overall, market breadth was on the borderline as gainers numbered 398 while losers stood at 370, with 447 counters unchanged, 786 untraded and 27 others suspended.
Turnover declined to 1.81 billion units worth RM1.61 billion compared with yesterday’s 2.19 billion units worth RM1.62 billion.
An analyst said that the upward momentum would, however, be temporary as talks between the two economic superpowers often went sideways instead of in a clear positive direction.
“The local market needs a domestic push to maintain its attractiveness to foreign as well as retail investors. Without it, the equity market will continue to drift according to foreign reasoning,” she said.
She added that the investors were also waiting for FTSE Russell’s decision later today on whether it would exclude the Malaysian government bonds from its World Government Bond Index (WGBI).
“If the results do not swing in our favour, the market might see an outflow tomorrow. However, with a strong local catalyst, it would be able to buffer the impact,” she said.
Global indices also recorded a positive momentum — the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.61 per cent to 26,970.71, Japan Nikkei gained 0.13 per cent to 22,048.24 and Hong Kong Hang Seng firmed 0.37 per cent to 26,041.93.
Of the heavyweights, Maybank improved eight sen to RM8.70, Public Bank inched up six sen to RM20.10, and Axiata and Hong Leong Bank both rose eight sen to RM4.35 and RM16.34, respectively.
As for the actives, newly-listed MTAG bagged 3.5 sen to 47.5 sen, Bumi Armada added one sen to 35 sen, Inari climbed six sen to RM1.84 and Green Packet increased 1.5 sen to 72.5 sen.
The FBM Emas Index advanced 31.35 points to 11,271.16, the FBMT 100 Index expanded 29.33 points to 11,104.33 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 30.83 points higher at 11,817.63.
The FBM 70 gained 59.51 points to 14,030.00 and the FBM Ace rose 46.39 points to 4,585.59.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index surged 81.85 points to 15,443.27 and the Plantation Index accrued 23.19 points to 6,774.15, but the Industrial Products & Services Index was 0.03 point lower at 153.29.
Main Market volume increased to 1.94 billion units worth RM1.47 billion compared with yesterday’s 1.18 billion units worth RM1.33 billion.
Warrants turnover, meanwhile, declined to 319.63 million units worth RM70.77 million from 338.19 million units worth RM70.20 million yesterday.
Volume on the ACE Market tumbled to 397.30 million shares worth RM69.40 million from yesterday’s 665.83 million shares worth RM218.77.
Consumer products and services accounted for 115.68 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (165.76 million), construction (86.74 million), technology (114.52 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (43.88 million), property (82.27 million), plantations (12.53 million), REITs (12.65 million), closed/fund (4,100), energy (286.51 million), healthcare (19.22 million), telecommunications and media (99.45 million), transportation and logistics (38.25 million) and utilities (17.18 million). — Bernama
