KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — Bursa Malaysia was mixed at mid-afternoon, dragged by profit-taking in healthcare, telecommunications, financial services and ace market-linked stocks.
This is despite the buoyant Asian markets ahead of the negotiations between US President Joe Biden and Republican senators on a new Covid-19 support bill.
As at 3pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 7.23 points to 1,573.63.
The index opened 8.63 points higher at 1,575.03 compared with Friday’s close of 1,566.40.
On the broader market, however, losers beat gainers 624 to 509, while 423 counters were unchanged, 564 untraded and 12 others suspended.
Total volume stood at 4.61 billion units worth RM3.16 billion.
A dealer said investors will be eyeing the government’s latest update on a possible extension of the movement control order today.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is expected to announce a decision on MCO 2.0 after a National Security Council (NSC) meeting later today, based on the current Covid-19 development in the country.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah was reported as saying that the government has no intention to extend the current movement control order (MCO 2.0), which was implemented on January 13, beyond February 4.
Among the heavyweights, Maybank rose five sen to RM7.86, Top Glove jumped 20 sen to RM6.94, Tenaga added two sen to RM9.67, while Public Bank was 12 sen lower at RM4.07.
Of the actives, Iris Corp slipped 3.5 sen to 40 sen, Trive up 5.5 sen to 21.5 sen, P.A. Resources increased 1.5 sen to 22.5 sen, and EA Holdings inched up half-a-sen to three sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index added 44.67 points to 11,408.48, the FBMT 100 Index surged 48.02 points to 11,152.95, the FBM Emas Shariah Index appreciated 104.52 points to 12,975.38, and the FBM 70 rose 51.21 points to 14,798.55.
However, the FBM ACE gave up 224.06 points to 10,808.88.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index shrank 62.67 points to 14,401.39, the Plantation Index increased 59.08 points to 7,156.97, and the Industrial Products and Services Index improved 1.26 points to 170.45. — Bernama
