KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 ― Bursa Malaysia ended the morning trading session lower today, weighed down by profit-taking in selected heavyweight stocks.
At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 3.93 points easier at 1,510.67 from yesterday’s close of 1,514.60.
The index opened 3.14 points lower at 1,511.46 and moved between 1,510.36 and 1,516.35 throughout the morning session.
On the broader market, losers outpaced gainers 505 versus 318, while 421 counters were unchanged, 999 untraded and 48 others suspended.
Turnover stood at 2.16 billion units worth RM1.03 billion.
A dealer said the local bourse opened lower and stayed mostly negative throughout the morning session, taking the cue from overnight US equities, which were broadly lower as profit-taking activities set in as a regulatory clampdown by Beijing swept into US markets.
The local bourse was also tracking Asian equities, which were lower in the first half session with caution remained as the impact of a Chinese crackdown continued to be felt.
“Investors also await the US Federal Reserve’s policy decision to be released later today for clues on the central bank's timeline for asset tapering and interest rate hikes for market direction,” it added.
Regionally, the Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.25 per cent to 3,131.07, South Korea’s Kospi eased 0.23 per cent to 3,225.12, Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 1.48 per cent to 27,556.08, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index declined 0.24 per cent to 25,027.16.
Of the heavyweights, Maybank added two sen to RM8.02, Petronas Chemicals gained four sen to RM7.99 and TNB improved one sen to RM9.74.
IHH Healthcare slid three sen to RM5.80 while Public Bank was flat at RM4.01.
Among the actives, Ecofirst warrant advanced four sen to 5.5 sen, Atroniq rose 7.5 sen to 48 sen, Johan Holdings warrant gained three sen to 3.5 sen, while XOX and AT Systematization were flat at four sen and 6.5 sen, respectively.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index decreased 29.10 points to 11,070.24, the FBM ACE declined 29.84 points to 7,221.40 and the FBMT 100 Index went down 28.99 points to 10,774.64.
The FBM Emas Shariah Index was 44.95 points lower at 12,166.37 and the FBM 70 slipped 43.09 points to 14,561.90.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index bagged 6.85 points to 14,771.70, the Plantation Index fell 42.85 points to 6,156.60 and the Industrial Products and Services Index slid 0.74 of-a-point to 187.70. ― Bernama
