KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 22 — Bursa Malaysia retreated from yesterday’s gains to finish marginally lower today, dragged by profit-taking activities as the risk-off mode intensified, an analyst said.

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 7.51 points to 1,455.89 from yesterday’s closing of 1,463.40.

The barometer index opened 2.81 points lower at 1,460.59 — its highest level today — before moving to the day’s low of 1,454.52 during the morning session.

Market breadth was negative, with decliners leading gainers 530 to 374, while 435 counters were unchanged, 1,035 untraded and 10 others suspended.

Turnover narrowed to 2.97 billion units valued at RM2.04 billion against 3.66 billion units valued at RM2.11 billion yesterday.

SPI Asset Management managing director Stephen Innes told Bernama the FBM KLCI trended lower as investors re-evaluated market sentiment following the release of US Federal Reserve’s minutes, which tempered rate cut expectations.

In addition, he said the holiday-shortened week ahead of Thanksgiving celebration this week has been dominating global investors’ appetite, which is leaning towards risk reduction instead of risk-taking mode.

Among the heavyweight counters, Maybank eased one sen to RM9.10, Public Bank was flat at RM4.27, CIMB eased two sen to RM5.77, Petronas Chemicals dropped 13 sen to RM7.25, and Tenaga Nasional gave up four sen to RM9.98.

Of the actives, Widad earned half-a-sen to 46.5 sen, Top Glove and Capital A rose three sen each to 84 sen and 86.5 sen, Leform gained one sen to 27.5 sen, while Perdana Petroleum fell two sen to 24 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index fell 34.44 points to 10,795.57, the FBMT 100 Index was 34.20 points lower to 10,454.34, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index dropped 45.30 points to 10,992.99.

The FBM ACE Index erased 6.05 points to 5,202.33, while the FBM 70 Index appreciated 38.53 points to 14,404.37.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index slid 27.25 points to 16,396.48, the Energy Index shed 4.30 points to 859.45, the Plantation Index was 55.40 points weaker at 6,960.68, and the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 1.98 points to 174.05.

The Main Market volume reduced to 1.79 billion units valued at RM1.76 billion from 2.15 billion units worth RM1.79 billion yesterday.

Warrants turnover dropped to 521.94 million units valued at RM54.50 million against 741.11 million units valued at RM92.53 million previously.

The ACE Market volume narrowed to 646.86 million shares worth RM227.49 million versus 745.51 million shares worth RM219.57 million yesterday.

Consumer products and services counters accounted for 415.87 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (356.37 million); construction (89.10 million); technology (186.49 million); SPAC (nil); financial services (45.85 million); property (205.49 million); plantation (27.10 million); REITs (9.59 million), closed/fund (37,000); energy (159.65 million); healthcare (159 million); telecommunications and media (30.41 million); transportation and logistics (51.88 million); and utilities (60.53 million). — Bernama