KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 21 — Bursa Malaysia ended in the red today in line with the downtrend in regional markets, as losses in selected heavyweights put pressure on the local index.

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 1.55 points to 1,587.33 from yesterday’s close of 1,588.88.

The benchmark index moved between 1,587.10 and 1,592.59 throughout the session after opening 0.41 point higher at 1,589.29 this morning.

The overall market breadth on Bursa Malaysia was negative with losers outpacing gainers 509 to 383, while 371 counters remained unchanged, 724 were untraded and 28 others were suspended.

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Turnover increased to 2.65 billion shares worth RM1.93 billion from 2.53 billion shares worth RM1.78 billion yesterday.

On the regional front, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index went down 810.25 points to 27,985.33, Singapore’s Straits Times Index declined 34.45 points to 3,245.64 and the Jakarta Composite Index lost 0.31 point to 6,244.74.

In a note, Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said after a build-up on recent gains, sentiment on the local bourse has turned as quick profit-taking activities took precedence.

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“The renewed volatility in commodity prices, the weaker ringgit and the unabated tension in Hong Kong also do not seem to favour market conditions as the social unrest may be prolonged,” it added.

Among the heavyweights on Bursa Malaysia, Maybank and Public Bank were both unchanged at RM8.60 and RM19.48 respectively, Tenaga lost six sen to RM12.88 and Petronas Chemicals was four sen lower at RM6.99.

Of the actives, Vortex eased one sen to nine sen, Yong Tai gained two sen to 15.5 sen and Supermax added 14 sen to RM1.45.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index was 14.44 points lower at 11,319.67, the FBM Emas Shariah Index lost 6.52 points to 11,993.17 and the FBMT 100 Index declined 14.62 points to 11,106.46.

The FBM 70 reduced 34.05 points to 14,204.46 and the FBM ACE fell 21.62 points to 5,635.09.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index inched down 0.54 point to 153.28, the Financial Services Index contracted 28.28 points to 15,325.39 and the Plantation Index gained 30.16 points to 7,519.76.

Main Market volume decreased to 1.68 billion shares worth RM1.72 billion from 1.69 billion shares worth RM1.58 billion recorded yesterday.

Warrants turnover increased to 379.57 million units worth RM69.09 million from 278.72 million units worth RM46.90 million.

Volume on the ACE Market widened to 592.87 million shares worth RM133.08 million from 555.20 million shares worth RM153.93 million.

Consumer products and services accounted for 240.45 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (198.20 million), construction (127.71 million), technology (124.93 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (23.13 million), property (236.00 million), plantations (137.28 million), REITs (9.73 million), closed/fund (15,300), energy (355.38 million), healthcare (122.67 million), telecommunications and media (20.29 million), transportation and logistics (70.45 million) and utilities (20.40 million). — Bernama