KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Bursa Malaysia ended a choppy trading day in green territory, thanks to last-minute buying in index-linked counters despite external headwinds.
At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) advanced 2.32 points or 0.15 per cent to close at 1,571.11 from yesterday’s close of 1,568.79.
After opening 0.68 of-a-point higher at 1,569.47, the key index moved between 1,565.64 and 1,571.43 throughout the day.
Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd head of retail research Loui Low Ley Yee, however, noted that market sentiment remained cautious, as investors were still adopting a wait-and-see attitude due to uncertainties surrounding Brexit deal and US-China trade talks.
“Market is on a cautious note as participants are still waiting for more investment directions from the US Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting next week, amid the corporate earnings season,” he told Bernama.
In spite of the cautious trading mode, Low noted that oil and gas, as well as information technology-related counters, continued to gain traction from market players.
At the close, market breadth remained negative, with 438 decliners outpacing 371 advancers, 407 counters were unchanged, 781 untraded and 15 others suspended.
Volume declined to 2.11 billion shares worth RM1.68 billion from 2.60 billion shares worth RM1.69 billion yesterday.
Among the heavyweights, Tenaga rose 18 sen to RM13.86, Maxis climbed five sen to RM5.50, while CIMB, Axiata and Petronas Chemicals put on four sen each to RM4.98, RM4.29 and RM7.45 respectively.
Top gainers list was led by Carlsberg, adding 42 sen to RM26.92, Aeon Credit improved 38 sen to RM15.98, Sarawak Oil Palms garnered 26 sen to RM4.49, while Hong Leong Industries and Nestle increased 20 sen each to RM10.90 and RM144.40 respectively.
Of the actives, Bumi Armada reversed earlier gains to finish one sen lower at 43.5 sen, Sapura Energy eased half-a-sen to 27 sen, Velesto trimmed one sen to 34.5 sen while its warrant was unchanged at 14.5 sen, and KNM increased two sen to 45.5 sen.
The FBM 70 fell 27.72 points to 14,063.49, the FBM Ace erased 33.08 points to 4,858.12 while the FBMT 100 Index strengthened 7.18 points to 10,993.76.
The FBM Emas Index gained 8.56 points to 11,183.74 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 2.22 points better at 11,811.64.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index put on 2.96 points to 15,170.06, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged up 0.40 of-a-point to 153.24, but the Plantation Index shed 28.14 points to 6,600.47.
Main Market volume narrowed to 1.39 billion shares worth RM1.51 billion from 1.78 billion shares worth RM1.49 billion yesterday.
Warrants turnover reduced to 304.47 million units valued at RM59.76 million against 376.41 million units valued at RM67.98 million yesterday.
Volume on the ACE Market declined to 410.68 million shares worth RM107.66 million from 450.46 million shares worth RM125.55 million previously.
Consumer products and services accounted for 166.20 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (221.48 million), construction (87.23 million), technology (164.45 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (47.87 million), property (119.71 million), plantations (14.23 million), REITs (12.56 million), closed/fund (47,300), energy (459.99 million), healthcare (10.01 million), telecommunications and media (45.34 million), transportation and logistics (26.39 million), and utilities (20.14 million). — Bernama
