Bursa Malaysia continues to slide at mid-afternoon

KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 — Bursa Malaysia continued to slide at mid-afternoon today on persistent profit taking amid concerns that the high number of Covid-19 cases might lead to another movement control order being imposed.

At 3pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 9.15 points to 1,592.50 from Friday’s close of 1,601.65.

The index opened 0.44 of-a-point firmer at 1,602.09 — the highest level so far — and fell as low as 1,590.04 during the session.

Market breadth remained negative with losers thumping gainers 913 to 248, while 332 counters were unchanged, 660 untraded and five others suspended.

Total volume stood at 4.90 billion shares worth RM3.14 billion.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank gained two sen to RM8.25, Public Bank eased two sen to RM4.13 and Top Glove fell 12 sen to RM5.53.

Of the actives, LKL bagged five sen to 39 sen and Hiap Teck gained half-a-sen to 64 sen, while Priceworth erased half-a-sen to two sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index was 86.23 points easier at 11,712.06, the FBM Emas Shariah Index dropped 117.89 points to 13,154.61, the FBMT 100 Index lost 81.03 points to 11,369.13, the FBM 70 slipped 170.47 points to 15,405.67, and the FBM ACE contracted 124.67 points to 8,721.35.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index decreased 1.87 points to 197.49, the Plantation Index slid 6.24 points to 6,893.45, and the Financial Services Index shed 21.65 points to 14,848.60. — Bernama