KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Bursa Malaysia ended lower today on continued selling in the broader market amid fears of local economic uncertainty and slower global growth, dealers said.
At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was down 0.68 per cent or 10.78 points to 1,564.12 from Wednesday’s close of 1,574.90.
The index, which opened 2.94 points easier at 1,571.96, moved between 1,563.13 and 1,572.04 throughout the day.
The market breadth was bleak as losers outpaced gainers 500 to 299, with 420 counters unchanged, 756 untraded and 19 others suspended.
Turnover expanded to 2.17 billion shares worth RM1.45 billion from 1.85 billion shares valued at RM1.44 billion yesterday.
The FBM Palm Oil Plantation index, which saw heavy selling yesterday, regained 1.18 per cent or 134.44 points to 11,487.39 today.
Online equity broker Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd’s head of research Kenny Yee that the benchmark index was tracking the overnight Dow Jones Industrial Average performance which took a hit from the release of the latest US factory data.
“The data showed a slowdown. This is a chain reaction as the downtrend involves major economies. This has dragged down most regional indices as well and impacted the local bourse to hit a four-year low,” he told Bernama.
On the local front, Yee said investors are in need of a positive catalyst while cautiously waiting for the Budget 2020 tabling on October 11.
“All eyes are now on the budget announcement. However, we hope the FBM KLCI could point higher towards the 1,580 level tomorrow as the US futures equity market is currently trading higher (at the opening),” he said.
Among the heavyweights, Maybank fell five sen to RM8.48, Tenaga declined two sen to RM13.58, Public Bank slipped 42 sen to RM19.28, while PChem recovered one sen to RM7.46 and IHH rose three sen to RM5.67.
As for the actives, Sumatec eased a sen to one sen, VSolar was flat at 7.5 sen and Armada gained 1.5 sen to 32.5 sen.
The FBM Emas Index slipped 72.64 points to 11,077.29, the FBMT 100 Index contracted 74.44 points to 10,906.60 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 53.55 points weaker at 11,665.83.
The FBM 70 shrank 91.26 points to 13,794.88 but the FBM ACE rose 39.49 points to 4,555.53.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index weakened 143.97 points to 15,079.34, the Plantation Index dipped 33.05 points to 6,636.28 and the Industrial Products & Services Index was 0.40 point easier at 152.17.
Main Market volume increased to 1.29 billion units worth RM1.31 billion from Wednesday’s 1.04 billion units worth RM1.30 billion.
Warrants turnover widened to 368.30 million valued at RM72.87 million from 256.05 million valued at RM46.43 million yesterday.
Volume on the ACE Market, however, fell to 511.62 million shares worth RM69.47 million from 552.70 million shares worth RM85.38 million yesterday.
Consumer products and services accounted for 171.11 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (176.83 million), construction (64.45 million), technology (98.93 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (31.19 million), property (77.06 million), plantations (16.12 million), REITs (21.34 million), closed/fund (34,000), energy (496.97 million), healthcare (11.79 million), telecommunications and media (90.33 million), transportation and logistics (27.00 million), and utilities (14.31 million). — Bernama
