KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — Bursa Malaysia ended lower today on continued profit-taking in most index-linked counters as investors’ appetite for equities turned unfavourable ahead of Christmas holiday after a brief window dressing yesterday.

Trading on the bourse was halted at 4.45 pm today and the matter is currently being investigated, Bursa Malaysia Securities announced earlier.

As at 4.45pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 3.10 points or 0.19 per cent to close at 1,596.01 compared with yesterday’s close of 1,599.11.

The benchmark index, which opened at 1,587.13, moved between 1,585.76 and 1,603.59 throughout the trading session.

On the broader market, losers led gainers 574 to 293, while 358 counters were unchanged, 780 untraded and 28 others suspended.

Turnover decreased to 2.11 billion shares valued at RM1.70 billion from 2.50 billion shares worth RM2.02 billion yesterday.

"Predictably, investors’ appetite appear to be focused more on Christmas dinner than risk appetite, which isn’t a bad thing when you think about it.

"Meanwhile, news about US President Donald Trump’s impeachment in the Democratic-led House of Representatives provided little market reaction as his (expected) acquittal in the upcoming Senate trial is unlikely to raise major concerns among global market players,” said AxiTrader chief Asia market strategist Stephen Innes to Bernama.

He said many quarters believed it was unlikely for the Republican-controlled Senate to remove Trump from office in a trial that would begin in January 2020.

Among heavyweights, IHH Healthcare which fell 6.57 per cent or 39 sen to RM5.54, contributed 5.733 to the index fall, while Petronas Gas eased 20 sen to RM16.80, RHB Bank lost seven sen to RM5.74 and IOI Corp reduced four sen to RM4.60.

Of the actives, Inari declined 27 sen to RM1.61, PWorth added half-a-sen to 4.5 sen and KNM rose four sen to 35.5 sen.

The FBM Emas Index fell 36.12 points to 11,319.38, the FBM Emas Shariah Index decreased 69.10 points to 11,979.82, and the FBMT 100 Index dipped 32.13 points to 11,123.81.

Meanwhile, the FBM Ace shed 2.53 points to 4,995.85 and the FBM 70 declined 83.81 points to 14,048.61.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index however recovered 45.71 points to 15,581.96 but the Plantation Index lost 26.51 points to 7,531.77, while the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 0.52 of-a-point to 152.90.

Main Market volume narrowed to 1.49 billion shares worth RM1.57 billion compared with 1.66 billion shares worth RM1.84 billion on Wednesday.

Warrants turnover dropped to 306.63 million units valued at RM50.30 million from 315.89 million units valued at RM56.24 million yesterday.

Volume on the ACE Market shrank to 309.74 million shares worth RM80.62 million compared with 518.35 million shares worth RM123.72 million previously.

Consumer products and services accounted for 123.77 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (265.90 million), construction (164.00 million), technology (232.04 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (52.82 million), property (203.85 million), plantations (42.35 million), REITs (18.78 million), closed/fund (5,700), energy (296.46 million), healthcare (16.34 million), telecommunications and media (23.01 million), transportation and logistics (15.64 million), and utilities (38.17 million). — Bernama