KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 ― Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session mixed with improved risk appetite in selected heavyweights providing support for the local index amid the positive sentiment in regional markets.
At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 4.12 points to 1,554.29 from yesterday’s closing of 1,550.17.
The index, which opened 01.16 points lower at 1,549.01, moved between 1,546.19 and 1,555.22 throughout the session.
On the broader market, however, decliners thumped gainers 623 to 252, while 373 counters were unchanged, 1,019 untraded, and 15 others suspended.
Turnover stood at 2.35 billion units valued at RM1.40 billion.
Rakuten Trade said for today, the local bourse may continue its buying momentum but profit-taking activities could also set in.
Therefore, the research firm is expecting the index to hover within the 1,545-1,560 range today.
“The FBM KLCI defied expectations as bargain-hunting activities pushed the index to the 1,550 mark (on Monday). Although we anticipate regional performances to remain mixed, low valuations of the local bourse could be the main catalyst for funds snapping up banking shares yesterday on the potential interest rate increase,” it said in a research note.
Among the heavyweights, Maybank climbed 10 sen to RM8.44, Public Bank bagged 3.0 sen to RM4.21, Petronas Chemicals was flat at RM8.90 while CIMB slipped 5.0 sen to RM5.62 and IHH Healthcare declined 6.0 sen to RM6.62.
Of the actives, AHB Holdings went up 3.5 sen to 29 sen, SMTrack earned half-a-sen to 30.5 sen, while DNex shed 3.0 sen to 85.5 sen and MMAG eased half-a-sen to 9.5 sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index was 2.87 points higher at 11,233.56, FBM Emas Shariah Index decreased 51.11 points to 11,975.53, FBMT 100 Index improved 9.25 points to 10,932.50, FBM ACE dropped 136.22 points to 6,617.67 and FBM 70 went down 73.77 points to 14,148.59.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index surged 253.32 points to 16,119.65, the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 0.34 of-a-point to 202.60, while the Plantation Index gained 19.47 points to 6,750.36. ― Bernama
