KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 — Bursa Malaysia closed slightly higher today in line with most of the regional markets as mild profit taking emerged in consumer product counters, capping some of the earlier gains, dealers said.
At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 2.65 points or 0.17 per cent to finish at 1,563.58 — the highest level for the day — from 1,560.93 at yesterday’s close.
The benchmark index opened 1.01 point higher at 1,561.94 and moved between 1,560.13 and 1,567.34 throughout the day.
On the broader market, gainers thumped losers 529 to 305, with 365 counters unchanged, 770 untraded and 18 others suspended.
Volume rose to 2.39 billion shares worth RM1.70 billion from 2.13 billion shares worth RM1.70 billion on Wednesday.
A dealer said most of the Asian stocks were in a healthy mode today, reacting to the news that the United States and China are back on track for a preliminary trade deal, despite lingering uncertainties over prospects of a truce in the tariff war, which has now entered the second year of negotiations.
He said investor sentiments were also boosted by a Bloomberg report yesterday which claimed that both countries are inching closer to an agreement on the number of tariffs roll back in a “phase one” trade deal, which was originally targeted to be signed this month.
A statement by US President Donald Trump that negotiations with China are progressing “very well,” also provided further boost to riskier assets.
On the local bourse, heavyweights Maybank and CIMB were three sen higher at RM8.53 and RM5.18, respectively, Public Bank and Petronas Chemicals added four sen each to RM19.34 and RM7.14, respectively, while TNB lost 14 sen to RM13.26.
Of the actives, Khee San jumped 12.5 sen to 48 sen, TDM gained two sen to 24.5 sen, Parlo improved 2.5 sen to 14 sen while Sapura Energy eased half-a-sen to 26.5 sen.
The FBM Emas Index advanced 30.58 points to 11,101.56, the FBMT 100 Index increased 26.79 points to 10,911.12, the FBM Ace was up 36.41 points at 4,845.14, the FBM Emas Shariah Index rose 41.07 points to 11,652.92 and the FBM 70 secured 68.11 points to 13,834.95.
Sector-wise, the Industrial Products & Services Index earned 0.33 of-a-point to 149.69, the Financial Services Index gained 26.93 points to 15,269.70 and the Plantation Index surged 110.31 points to 7,233.51.
Main Market volume improved to 1.70 billion shares worth RM1.51 billion from Wednesday’s 1.44 billion shares worth RM1.53 billion.
Warrants turnover went down to 200.83 million units valued at RM36.06 million from 283.59 million units valued at RM52.66 million yesterday.
Volume on the ACE Market widened to 487.65 million units worth RM153.73 million from 412.56 million units worth RM118.79 million previously.
Consumer products and services accounted for 312.74 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (269.85 million), construction (170.06 million), technology (133.57 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (72.06 million), property (125.94 million), plantations (150.41 million), REITs (12.04 million), closed/fund (nil), energy (366.47 million), healthcare (12.73 million), telecommunications and media (33.73 million), transportation and logistics (15.36 million), and utilities (23.46 million). — Bernama
