Bursa Malaysia Ends Week On Softer Note
By Karina Imran
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia finished the week on a softer note, weighed down by profit-taking after the recent rally, in line with cautious sentiment across regional markets, said an analyst.
At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.08 per cent, or 1.40 points, to 1,735.75, compared with Thursday’s close of 1,737.15.
The benchmark index opened 1.93 points lower at 1,735.22, and fluctuated between 1,729.34 and 1,739.14 throughout the day.
On the broader market, decliners led advancers 581 to 533, while 607 counters were unchanged, 1,052 untraded and 21 suspended.
Turnover increased to 3.55 billion units valued at RM3.47 billion from 3.24 billion units valued at RM2.90 billion on Thursday.
Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said major Asian indices ended mixed amid renewed geopolitical tensions after Yemen's Houthi group launched attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Saudi authorities warned of possible coordinated strikes by the Houthis and Iran-backed Iraqi militias.
"The heightened uncertainty pushed Brent crude oil above US$83 per barrel," he told Bernama.
Against this backdrop, IPPFA Sdn Bhd director of investment strategy and country economist Mohd Sedek Jantan said investors maintained a defensive stance, although selective buying in construction and utilities stocks helped cushion the broader market decline.
Among the heavyweights, Maybank dropped 12 sen to RM10.68, Public Bank lost four sen to RM5.19, CIMB Group and IHH Healthcare shed three sen each to RM7.94 and RM8.30, respectively, and Tenaga Nasional erased eight sen to RM14.40.
Among active stocks, Perak Transit added four sen to 21.5 sen, Genetec Technology gained two sen to 39 sen, HHRG inched up 1.5 sen to 12 sen, and Malaysian Resources Corp edged up half a sen to 34.5 sen, while Zetrix AI gave up one sen to 70 sen.
Kuala Lumpur Kepong led the gainers, rising RM1.30 to RM22.90, Stratus Global Holdings jumped 58 sen to RM2.88, Tong Herr Resources garnered 49 sen to RM2.39, Allianz Malaysia grew 44 sen to RM21.52, and YTL Power International climbed 32 sen to RM4.69.
As for the top losers, Malaysian Pacific Industries dipped 40 sen to RM47.26, Petronas Dagangan and United Plantations decreased 32 sen each to RM19.24 and RM33.88, respectively, while both UWC and Pentamaster Corp lost 24 sen to RM6.55 and RM5.47, respectively.
Among the broader indices, the FBM Emas Index declined 21.77 points to 12,834.25, the FBM Top 100 Index shrank 25.08 points to 12,660.20, the FBM Emas Shariah Index slid 28.31 points to 12,663.23, and the FBM Mid 70 Index sank 99.54 points to 18,226.52, while the FBM ACE Index strengthened 42.20 points to 5,079.95.
By sector, the Financial Services Index decreased 103.32 points to 20,416.53 and the Energy Index slid 4.02 points to 758.39.
In contrast, the Plantation Index soared 76.53 points to 9,541.08 and the Industrial Products and Services Index inched up 0.22 of a point to 188.0.
The Main Market volume advanced to 1.88 billion units valued at RM3.13 billion compared to 1.60 billion units valued at RM2.58 billion on Thursday.
Warrants turnover improved to 1.16 billion units worth RM155.13 million versus 1.13 billion units worth RM146.50 million previously.
The ACE Market volume rose to 511.75 million units valued at RM180.17 million from 498.42 million units valued at RM175.55 million yesterday.
Consumer products and services counters accounted for 270.23 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (293.72 million), construction (111.69 million), technology (480.82 million), financial services (75.77 million), property (229.76 million), plantation (44.34 million), real estate investment trusts (41.61 million), closed-end fund (278,800), energy (74.47 million), healthcare (73.41 million), telecommunications and media (34.32 million), transportation and logistics (49.71 million), utilities (99.93 million), and business trusts (70,400).
-- BERNAMA