KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 22 — The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) advanced for the fourth consecutive day today, reflecting the robust performance on Wall Street overnight, and Bank Negara Malaysia’s decision to keep the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 3.0 per cent.
At 5pm, the FBM KLCI rose 7.34 points, or 0.46 per cent, to 1,587.80, anchored mainly by the plantation and financial sectors.
The benchmark index opened 2.76 points higher at 1,583.22 from Tuesday’s close of 1,580.46.
Market breadth, however, was slightly negative as losers led gainers 447 to 424, while 605 counters were unchanged, 892 untraded, and 10 suspended.
Turnover slid to 2.99 billion units valued at RM2.24 billion from Tuesday’s 3.42 billion units valued at RM2.61 billion.
UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan noted that the market's performance today was bolstered by BNM’s decision to maintain the OPR, which has provided a stabilising effect on the financial system amid ongoing monitoring of US trade policy developments.
Furthermore, he said US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a potential 10 per cent tariff on China, instead of a more severe measure, has brought much-needed clarity to the market and eased investor concerns.
“This has positively influenced sentiment, particularly among investors in Asia, where regional markets closed higher. On the local bourse, today’s gains were broader and more substantial compared to the previous session, with several robust sectors driving the upward momentum.
“We remain optimistic about the FBM KLCI’s potential to breach the psychological level of 1,600 this week,” he told Bernama.
Among the heavyweights, Maybank added eight sen to RM10.36, CIMB gained 12 sen to RM8.06, Public Bank rose three sen to RM4.40, while Hong Leong Bank was flat at RM20.18, and Press Metal fell 17 sen to RM5.01.
Of the active stocks, Harvest Miracle increased half-a-sen to 17.5 sen, Mah Sing was four sen higher at RM1.53, while EA Holdings and Green Ocean were flat at half-a-sen and 18 sen respectively.
On the broader market, the FBM Emas Index rose 18.21 points to 12,159.57, the FBM Emas Shariah Index decreased 20.76 points to 12,035.30, the FBMT 100 Index advanced 20.57 points to 11,841.82, the FBM 70 Index sank 95.86 points to 18,126.80, and the FBM ACE Index slipped 7.73 points to 5,238.59.
By sector, the Financial Services Index soared 109.67 points to 18,945.42, the Plantation Index expanded 45.54 points to 7,421.70, the Energy Index dipped 3.18 points to 855.02, and the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 0.74 of-a-point to 170.21.
The Main Market volume trimmed to 1.28 billion units worth RM1.96 billion against Tuesday’s 1.51 billion units worth RM2.28 billion.
Warrants turnover improved to 1.13 billion units valued at RM112.48 million versus 1.10 billion units valued at RM116.40 million previously.
The ACE Market volume tumbled to 541.74 million units worth RM162.58 million from 809.45 million units worth RM215.70 million yesterday.
Consumer products and services counters accounted for 144.35 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (208.63 million), construction (111.68 million), technology (163.38 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (68.12 million), property (270.04 million), plantation (21.56 million), REITs (13.28 million), closed/fund (8,300), energy (134.84 million), healthcare (38.46 million), telecommunications and media (26.67 million), transportation and logistics (26.93 million), utilities (56.03 million), and business trusts (94,800). — Bernama
