KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — Bursa Malaysia ended its morning session weaker amid active selling activities in selected heavyweights, led by Petronas-related counters.
At 12.30pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 6.51 points to 1,607.67 from yesterday's close of 1,614.18.
The key index moved between 1,602.1 and 1,613.87 throughout the morning session.
The benchmark index opened 0.35 of-a-point weaker at 1,613.83.
In the broader market, losers outpaced gainers by 364 to 243, while 395 counters remained unchanged, 975 untraded and 14 others suspended.
Turnover amounted to 875.06 million shares worth RM478.69 million.
Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said lower liners are looking to extend their winning streak, and the positive sentiment may last till year-end in the absence of negative news.
“However, thinning trading volumes suggest that gains are hard to come by as investors have already started to retreat towards the sidelines,” it said in a note today.
Petronas Gas had slipped by 44 sen to RM17.26 and Petronas Chemicals eased four sen to RM7.37.
Among heavyweights, CIMB rose three sen to RM5.30, Maybank trimmed two sen to RM8.60, Public Bank decreased eight sen to RM19.96, TNB lost 12 sen to RM13.42 and IHH Healthcare went down three sen to RM5.61.
Of the actives, Khee San gained 3.5 sen to 44.5 sen, MCT advanced two sen to 33.5 sen, Mudajaya increased 2.5 sen to 40.5 sen, Bumi Armada was flat at 51.5 sen, WCE Holdings inched down half-a-sen to 39.5 sen and Solarvest declined 5.5 sen to 80 sen.
The FBM Emas Index shed 40.81 points to 11,388.97, the FBMT 100 Index slid 41.86 points to 11,191.02 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index depreciated 62.40 points to 12,007.0.
The FBM Ace appreciated 41.22 points to 5,107.66 but the FBM 70 erased 38.44 points to 14,075.5.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index was down 5.1 points to 15,617.44, while the Plantation Index reduced 12.46 points to 7,574.03 and the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 0.7 of-a-point to 153.24. — Bernama
