KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — Bursa Malaysia ended the week on a flattish note, although the benchmark index managed to finish marginally higher as selective buying in index heavyweights helped offset cautious sentiment ahead of the weekend, said an analyst.

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) gained 3.42 points or 0.21 per cent to end at its intraday high of 1,611.56 from yesterday’s close of 1,608.14.

The index, which opened 0.51 of a point lower at 1,607.63, hit an intraday low of 1,604.38 during the mid-morning trading session.

On the broader market, decliners and gainers were almost even at 529 to 528, while 532 counters were unchanged, 1,312 untraded and 16 suspended.

Turnover improved to 3.18 billion units worth RM2.47 billion from Thursday’s 2.89 billion units worth RM2.69 billion.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said sentiment remained fragile following Wall Street’s technology-led correction, with the Nasdaq falling 2.6 per cent overnight amid renewed concerns over the financing and profitability of AI (artificial intelligence) investments.

“As for the local bourse, we view the FBM KLCI’s ability to hold above 1,600 as an encouraging sign, although buying conviction remains modest,” he told Bernama.

Among heavyweights, Maybank jumped nine sen to RM10.06, Public Bank advanced four sen to RM4.75, TNB increased six sen to RM13.30, CIMB was flat at RM7.15, and IHH Healthcare eased nine sen to RM7.90.

Of the active stocks, Zetrix AI gained 2.5 sen to 7.5 sen, Top Glove improved four sen to 92 sen, Ni Hsin went up three sen to 49 sen, VS Industry was flat at 33 sen, and CBH Engineering shed four sen to 90.5 sen.

Among the top gainers, Nestle rose 58 sen to RM89.54, Kuala Lumpur Kepong expanded by 22 sen to RM20.52, Hong Leong Industries put on 18 sen to RM16.30, and Petronas Chemicals garnered 16 sen to RM4.65.

The top losers included Malaysian Pacific Industries and Hong Leong Bank which trimmed 30 sen each to RM40.00 and RM21.20, respectively, while Press Metal gave up 21 sen to RM6.73, and Genting Plantations shaved off 18 sen to RM5.11.

On the index board, the FBM Mid 70 Index strengthened by 51.96 points to 17,170.33, the FBM Emas Shariah Index rose 11.59 points to 11,943.57, the FBM Emas Index went up 28.95 points to 11,993.45, the FBM Top 100 Index was 27.78 points higher at 11,797.61, and the FBM ACE Index climbed 22.64 points to 5,346.14.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 0.05 of a point to 175.40, the Energy Index firmed 2.87 points to 834.67, the Plantation Index garnered 14.80 points to 8,677.48, and the Financial Services Index gained 49.32 points to 18,654.32.

The Main Market volume expanded to 1.69 billion units worth RM2.18 billion from 1.41 billion units worth RM2.37 billion yesterday.

Warrants turnover increased to 1.05 billion units worth RM135.55 million against 941.91 million units worth RM115.13 million yesterday.

The ACE Market volume declined to 432.38 million units valued at RM153.16 million from 544.11 million units valued at RM206.25 million previously.

Meanwhile, consumer products and services counters accounted for 204.40 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (281.01 million), construction (112.14 million), technology (545.95 million), financial services (55.76 million), property (116.65 million), plantation (31.08 million), real estate investment trusts (15.77 million), closed-end fund (45,500), energy (88.63 million), healthcare (118.28 million), telecommunications and media (30.44 million), transportation and logistics (50.02 million), utilities (44.23 million), and business trusts (208,200). — Bernama