KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session lower as the market continued its sideways trading due to lack of fresh catalysts, dealers said.
At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.34 per cent or 5.44 points to 1,563.14 from yesterday's close of 1,568.58.
The barometer index opened 5.23 points weaker at 1,563.35 and moved between 1,560.21 and 1,569.58 throughout the morning session.
On the broader market, losers beat gainers 713 to 308, while 374 counters were unchanged, 639 untraded and 35 others suspended.
Trading volume stood at 6.32 billion shares worth RM4.32 billion.
News on the development of a potential Covid-19 vaccine triggered profit taking in rubber and rubber glove-related counters, including Top Glove, Hartalega, Supermax, Rubberex and Kossan.
The news had also boosted interest in selected healthcare stocks, including IHH Healthcare which rose 1.66 per cent or nine sen to RM5.50.
Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said technically, the lack of follow-through buying interest may see the market consolidating longer, with immediate resistance at the 1,600 level, followed by 1,615.
It noted that the immediate support remained pegged at 1,550, followed by 1,540.
Of the heavyweights, Maybank gained one sen to RM7.49, Top Glove fell RM1.32 to RM26.58, Public Bank rose two sen to RM17.00, Tenaga was flat at RM11.00 and Hartalega dropped 94 sen to RM16.56.
Among the actives, Bintai rose 25.5 sen to 66 sen, Solution Group added 18 sen to 81 sen and XOX was flat at 23.5 sen.
Top losers were Top Glove, Supermax — which lost RM1.74 to RM20.36 — and Hartalega.
Of the top gainers, Pharmaniaga rose RM1.11 to RM6.38, Dutch Lady increased 88 sen to RM39.68 and Duopharma advanced 71 sen to RM4.09.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index fell 62.41 points to 11,255.64, the FBMT 100 Index was 61.64 points lower at 11,057.90, and the FBM 70 weakened 171.96 points to 14,592.95.
The FBM Emas Shariah Index dropped 115.14 points to 13,310.93 and the FBM ACE recovered 60.30 points to 11,006.12.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index improved 30.54 points to 12,942.35, the Industrial Products and Services Index reduced 0.11 of-a-point to 141.18, and the Plantation Index was 30.79 points better at 7,090.04. — Bernama
