KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Bursa Malaysia settled in the negative zone on the first day of the conditional movement control order (CMCO) in the Klang Valley, as traders tend to tread cautiously amid the imposition of the limited movement restrictions from today until October 27.

However, the CMCO had spurred trading activities on the local bourse, with total volume revisiting the seven billion-unit mark, a level last seen on September 21.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) slipped 1.95 points, or 0.13 per cent, to 1,523.25 from 1,525.20 at yesterday’s close.

The market barometer opened 1.63 points easier at 1,523.57 and hovered between 1,516.10 and 1,524.23 throughout the day.

Market breadth was positive with advancers leading decliners 572 to 495, while 414 counters were unchanged, 644 untraded and 20 others suspended.

Total volume expanded to 7.03 billion units worth RM6.25 billion from 5.96 billion units worth RM3.88 billion yesterday.

Commenting on the FBM KLCI performance, Maybank Investment Bank Bhd dealer representative Jeffry Azizi Jaafar said buying in the heavyweights had been lacklustre today, as some investors were concerned about the possible extension of the CMCO, judging from the previous CMCO which was extended until June 9 and replaced by the recovery MCO from June 10 to August 31.

"As the Klang Valley is the heart of economic activities in the country, companies which operate during the CMCO would have to adhere to the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the authorities.

"Therefore, some investors are worried that that might affect the companies’ earnings,” he told Bernama.

On the bright side, Jeffry Azizi said the CMCO had encouraged trading activities, as workers who started working from home would have ample time now to participate in the market.

"We can see retail participants making a comeback today, particularly in favour of the healthcare counters,” he added.

Of the 30 FBM KLCI counters, more than 20 counters were in the red.

Losses in the heavyweights were led by Maybank which slipped 11 sen to RM7.24. Maxis and Sime Darby Plantation declined nine sen to RM5.03 and RM4.91 respectively, MISC went down 15 sen to RM6.70 and Petronas Chemicals shed eight sen to RM6.06.

The most actively traded counters included Metronic Global and its warrants which eased half-a-sen each to 10 sen and three sen respectively, Kanger International which added one sen to 21 sen, ES Ceramics which jumped 29.5 sen to 82 sen, and Advance Synergy which fell 2.5 sen to 19.5 sen.

Top losers were led by consumer products and services counters, namely Nestle which gave up 60 sen to RM139.40, Heineken which dropped 48 sen to RM19.26 and F&N which shrank 38 sen to RM33.00.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index garnered 10.82 points to 11,025.66, the FBMT 100 Index increased 6.27 points to 10,839.26 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index climbed 69.73 points to 13,253.54.

The FBM 70 strengthened 86.72 points to 14,552.78 and the FBM ACE surged 268.77 points to 10,971.29.

Financial Services Index contracted 110.72 points to 12,450.95 and the Plantation Index declined 63.78 points to 6,969.48.

The Healthcare Index leapt 113.22 points to 4,187.92 and the Industrial Products and Services Index inched up 0.50 of-a-point to 144.26.

Main Market volume widened to 3.86 billion shares worth RM4.60 billion from 3.76 billion shares worth RM3.03 billion yesterday.

Warrants turnover expanded to 906.11 million units valued at RM243.59 million versus 469.04 million units valued at RM118.50 million yesterday.

Volume on the ACE Market surged to 2.26 billion shares worth RM1.40 billion compared with 1.73 billion shares worth RM734.66 million yesterday.

Consumer products and services accounted for 1.08 billion shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (1.36 billion), construction (129.79 million), technology (357.62 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (43.87 million), property (257.87 million), plantations (68.26 million), REITs (12.80 million), closed/fund (11,000), energy (128.13 million), healthcare (196.77 million), telecommunications and media (43.98 million), transportation and logistics (42.37 million), and utilities (122.49 million). — Bernama