Bursa Malaysia finishes on easier note
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia closed easier today, weighed by uncertainties in the US surrounding the impending increase in interest rates and tax reform plans.
The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell by 4.04 points to end at 1,717.23 from Thursday's finish of 1,721.27.
It opened 1.22 points easier at 1,720.05 and moved between 1,713.26 and 1,720.38 throughout the day.
Affin Hwang Investment Bank Vice-President/Head of Retail Research, Datuk Dr Nazri Khan Adam Khan, said the market was experiencing a temporary correction as the sentiment was influenced by uncertainties on US interest rate rise as policymakers' opinion were divided on having an increase in December.
"The sentiment was further dampened by uncertainties surrounding US President Donald Trump tax reforms," he told Bernama.
Among heavyweights, Maybank lost six sen to RM9.15 and TNB slipped two sen to RM14.82. Sime Darby added one sen to RM8.94 and Petronas Chemicals perked five sen to RM7.35. Public Bank was flat at RM20.32.
Of the actives, Trive Property and Borneo Oil slipped half-a-sen each to 6.5 sen and nine sen respectively and AirAsia X lost two sen to 36 sen. DGB Asia added 1.5 sen to 14.5 sen while Hubline was flat at 12 sen.
Market breadth was negative with losers outnumbering gainers by 521 to 344 while 395 counters were unchanged, 626 untraded and 41 others were suspended.
Volume decreased to 1.83 billion units worth RM2.52 billion from Thursday's 2.08 billion units worth RM1.86 billion.
On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index fell 36.229 points to 12,393.24, FBMT 100 Index decreased 41.17 points to 12,046.89 and the FBM Ace went down 28.37 points to 6,402.62.
The FBM Emas Shariah Index shed 52.771 points to 12,839.26 and the FBM 70 Index fell 99.92 points to 15,344.51.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index lost 48.78 points to 15,938.72, Plantation Index edged down 34.6 points to 7,911.99 and the Industrial Index was 6.63 points lower at 3,124.09.
The Main Market volume increased to 1.21 billion units worth RM2.41 billion, from Thursday's 1.20 billion units worth RM1.71 billion.
Volume on the ACE Market contracted to 376.29 million shares valued at RM77.89 million, from yesterday's 629.45 million shares valued at RM118.21 million.
Warrants volume eased to 236.64 million units worth RM27.8 million, from 244.42 million units worth RM34.63 million previously.
Consumer products accounted for 86.14 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (318.48 million), construction (43.15 million), trade and services (462.92 million), technology (127.63 million), infrastructure (29.32 million), SPAC (116,700), finance (57.92 million), hotels (1.4 million), properties (72.22 million), plantations (13 million), mining (54,100), REITs (5.93 million), and closed/fund (4,600). — Bernama