KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — Bursa Malaysia ended the day mixed, with the key index remaining above the 1,500 point level.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 6.35 points or 0.42 per cent to close at 1,505.78 compared with Monday’s close of 1,499.43.

The index opened 4.15 points easier at 1,495.28 and moved between 1,494.93 and 1,511.90 throughout the day.

On the broader market, losers outpaced gainers 600 to 429, while 459 counters were unchanged, 593 untraded and 21 others suspended.

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Total volume eased to 6.54 billion shares worth RM3.92 billion from Monday’s 7.03 billion shares worth RM3.55 billion.

AxiCorp chief global market strategist Stephen Innes said the local market traded rangebound as investors were trying figure out the market’s next direction.

“Positive Asia sentiment, driven by stronger China economic impulses, is being weighed against possible United States election risk.

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“After the sudden Covid-19 shock in the United Kingdom and European Union, I think there is a realisation that exports to Western markets will still struggle, but fortunately, Malaysia has China to lean on,” he told Bernama.

Innes added that global markets would struggle to make new highs until there are more positive signs of real economic growth.

Of the heavyweights back home, Maybank added one sen to RM7.20, Top Glove rose three sen to RM8.03, TNB appreciated 12 sen to RM11.02, Public Bank increased 18 sen to RM15.86, Hartalega advanced six sen to RM14.06 and IHH Healthcare was three sen higher at 5.31.

Sime Darby Plantation was flat at RM5.05, while Petronas Gas and Nestle trimmed 10 sen each to RM16.50 and RM139.20, respectively.

Among the actives, Bintai Kinden surged 14 sen to 77.5 sen, Solution Group bagged five sen to 69 sen, Kanger International was 2.5 sen higher at 31 sen, Diversified Gateway gained 1.5 sen to 19 sen while Netx and Lambo were flat at one sen and four sen, respectively.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index improved 47.64 points to 10,810.12 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 51.71 points higher at 12,804.41.

The FBM 70 widened 64.29 points to 13,951.45, the FBMT100 Index leapt 45.89 points to 10,631.82 and the FBM ACE shaved off 168.35 points to 10,786.5.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index appreciated 72.10 points to 12,559.62, the Plantation Index gave up 12.66 points to 7,122.67 and the Industrial Products and Services Index was flat at 135.47.

Main Market volume slid to 3.12 billion shares worth RM2.74 billion from 4.25 billion shares worth RM2.76 billion on Monday.

Warrants turnover rose to 586.08 million units worth RM138.67 million from 554.67 million units valued at RM124.09 million yesterday.

Volume on the ACE Market rose to 2.84 billion shares worth RM1.04 billion from 2.22 billion shares worth RM666.19 million previously.

Consumer products and services accounted for 504.80 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (1.17 billion), construction (212.57 million), technology (299.06 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (37.03 million), property (266.87 million), plantations (150.82 million), REITs (7.58 million), closed/fund (29,200), energy (255.44 million), healthcare (124.67 million), telecommunications and media (30.13 million), transportation and logistics (41.34 million) and utilities (13.29 million). — Bernama