KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — Bursa Malaysia ended the day in the red with the key index falling below the 1,500-level on lack of catalysts and in line with most regional markets amid the resurgence of Covid-19 cases, especially in Europe, said an analyst.
At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 7.20 points, or 0.48 per cent, to close at 1,499.43 from Friday’s close of 1,506.63.
The index opened 3.79 points higher at 1,510.42 and moved between 1,496.97 and 1,511.77 throughout the day.
On the broader market, losers thumped gainers 873 to 275, while 332 counters were unchanged, 604 untraded and 39 others suspended.
Total volume was higher at 7.03 billion shares worth RM3.55 billion from Friday’s 6.87 billion shares worth RM5.07 billion.
AxiCorp chief global market strategist Stephen Innes said the outcome on the inclusion Malaysia’s bond in the FTSE Russell’s World Government Bond Index this week would be a risk to the local view and is bound to keep investors sidelined.
“But the fact that any market moving higher with the second wave of Covid-19 looking to engulf the UK and Europe seems a bit odd. September and particularly, between now and mid-October, is typically a bad month for risk.
“But with the US election risk, which poses a threat to bullish Asia (Malaysia’s view) when viewed through a second wave Covid-19 lens is a bit unsettling,” he told Bernama.
Innes said investors were dumping profitable shares while institutional investors were selling the euro and British pound, which led to the strengthening of the US dollar across the board.
Of the heavyweights, Public Bank trimmed 26 sen to RM15.68, Maxis declined 12 sen to RM5.02, Petronas Dagangan slipped 76 sen to RM20.40, Hartalega went down 16 sen to RM14, MISC eased 10 sen to RM7.45, MISC slid 10 sen to RM7.45, and Maybank was two sen easier at RM7.19.
Top Glove and Sime Darby Plantations added two sen each to RM8 and RM5.05, respectively, while TNB and Petronas Chemicals were flat at RM10.90 and RM5.60, respectively.
Among the actives, Metronic and Sapura Energy both edged up half-a-sen to 8.5 sen and 12 sen, CME rose one sen to 12.5 sen, Rimbunan Sawit reduced two sen to 29 sen, HB Global eased 2.5 sen to 18.5 sen, Jaya Tiasa narrowed seven sen to 76 sen, and Iris Corp went down one sen to 31.5 sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index fell 75.14 points to 10,762.48 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 84.37 points easier at 12,752.7.
The FBM 70 narrowed 144.87 points to 13,887.16, the FBMT 100 Index gave up 65.81 points to 10,585.93 and the FBM ACE slipped 106.69 points to 10,954.85.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index reduced 81.83 points to 12,487.52, the Plantation Index gave up 16.62 points to 7,135.33 and the Industrial Products and Services Index went down 1.23 point to 135.47.
Main Market volume appreciated to 4.25 billion shares worth RM2.76 billion from 4.15 billion shares worth RM4.06 billion last Friday.
Warrants turnover weakened to 554.67 million units valued at RM124.09 million from 726.19 million units valued at RM178.63 million.
Volume on the ACE Market rose to 2.22 billion shares worth RM666.19 million from 1.98 billion shares worth RM827.64 million previously.
Consumer products and services accounted for 858.13 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (1.37 billion), construction (275.53 million), technology (216.30 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (43.26 million), property (322.49 million), plantations (563.08 million), REITs (7.24 million), closed/fund (24,500), energy (356.90 million), healthcare (102.21 million), telecommunications and media (41.58 million), transportation and logistics (71.03 million), and utilities (19.99 million). — Bernama
