KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 23 — Bursa Malaysia was marginally lower at mid-afternoon today on mild profit-taking activities, despite research firms’ optimism.
At 3pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 0.05 point weaker at 1,610.13 from Friday's close of 1,610.18.
The benchmark index opened 3.73 points easier at 1,606.45.
On the broader market, losers outpaced gainers by 427 to 325, while 359 counters remained unchanged, 881 untraded and 29 others suspended.
Turnover amounted to 1.23 billion shares worth RM802.97 million.
Public Investment Bank in a note said it anticipates the FBM KLCI to be on a positive note today after US stock indices again set records on Friday.
“This was after encouraging US economic data and optimism about international trade deals helped end the decade’s last full week of trading on a high note,” it said.
Meanwhile, on the home front, heavyweights Maybank eased two sen to RM8.60, Tenaga declined four sen to RM13.34 and PChem slid 16 sen to RM7.46.
Meanwhile, Public Bank rose 26 sen to RM20.08 and CIMB improved two sen to RM5.29.
Of the actives, Sapura Energy was flat at 26.5 sen, Bumi Armada and Serba Dinamik increased three sen to 52 sen and 40.5 sen, respectively.
The FBM Emas Index slid 5.38 points to 11,399.36, the FBMT 100 Index eased 7.89 points to 11,202.54 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index depreciated 49.18 points to 12,019.36.
The FBM Ace improved 35.32 points to 5,063.91 but the FBM 70 eased 41.24 points to 14,066.74.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index was up 56.6 points at 15,618.14, while the Plantation Index declined 36.57 points to 7,567.58 and the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 1.19 points to 153.67. — Bernama
