KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 ― Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session on a better note driven by the healthcare index, although the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) had slightly decreased.
At lunchbreak, the healthcare index rose 8.98 per cent, driven by strong demand for pharma-related equities, while the FBM KLCI was dragged down by selling pressure on glove maker stocks.
FBM KLCI ended 0.43 of-a-point lower at 1,595.50 compared with yesterday's close of 1,595.93.
The index opened 1.88 points lower at 1,594.05.
Overall, market breadth returned to positive with 477 gainers and 439 losers, while 421 were unchanged, 643 untraded and 19 others suspended.
Total volume shot up to 5.41 billion units worth RM2.79 billion.
Energy counters remained as the most active as oil price leapt to its highest since March 2020, while healthcare stocks remained as the most favourable equity, leading the top gainers category since the market opened this morning.
On the scoreboard, healthcare counters recorded the highest transaction value at RM949.14 million, while energy recorded the highest volume, with 1.21 billion units traded.
Pharmaniaga leapt RM1.05 to RM4.55, Duopharma gained 68 sen to RM2.96, Kotra added 81 sen to RM3.56 and Apex was up 90 sen to RM3.58.
Meanwhile, glove maker counters on the KLCI experienced a selldown during the session, with Hartalega erasing 40 sen to RM17.60, while TopGlove declined 4 sen to RM24.90 due to profit taking.
Of the actives, Sapura Energy rose half-a-sen to 10.5 sen, while newcomer, Sarawak-based oil and gas company, Ocean Vantage rose 25 sen to 51 sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index edged up 12.05 points to 11,314.80, the FBMT 100 index added 4.37 points to 11,155.28 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 27.62 points stronger at 13,129.44.
The FBM 70 rose 34.93 points to 14,206.99 and the FBM ACE was 104.41 points better at 7,726.54.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index improved 5.31 points to 13,492.58, the Plantation Index strengthened 53.78 points to 7,028.77 and the Industrial Products and Services Index added 1.36 point to 140.42. ― Bernama
