KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — Bursa Malaysia ended lower today in thin trading with volume falling below three billion shares, amid weak performance on Wall Street overnight, reflecting investor caution ahead of key US inflation data releases this week which will influence the rate cut decision on December 18.
At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 2.46 points or 0.15 per cent to 1,608.97 from yesterday’s close of 1,611.43.
The index opened 1.22 points higher at 1,612.65 and moved between 1,607.88 and 1,615.93 today.
However, market breadth was positive as gainers beat decliners 534 to 513, while 562 counters were unchanged, 867 untraded and 13 suspended.
Turnover declined to 2.74 billion units valued at RM2.64 billion versus 3.02 billion units valued at RM2.40 billion yesterday.
UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors’ head of investment research Mohd Sedek Jantan said the US consumer price index (CPI) is scheduled for release on Dec 11 and the producer price index (PPI) on Dec 12, which are expected to influence the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) decision on interest rate.
Additionally, he said weaker-than-expected CPI and PPI data from China, released yesterday, may have further tempered market sentiment.
“The FBM KLCI closed lower today, tracking the retreat on Wall Street, where markets pulled back following last week’s record highs for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq,” he told Bernama.
Mohd Sedek said that among Bursa Malaysia’s sectoral indices, the Healthcare Index led the gainers, buoyed by investor optimism after a leading glove manufacturer announced a special single-tier dividend.
“Elsewhere, the FBM Mid 70 Index maintained its upward momentum, rising 3.45 per cent to-date in December.
“Market sentiment remains supportive of continued outperformance by small- and mid-cap stocks, alongside selective opportunities in laggard counters,” he added.
Among the heavyweights, IHH Healthcare added 2.0 sen to RM7.44, Public Bank eased 2.0 sen to RM4.52, CIMB slid 7.0 sen to RM8.11, and Tenaga Nasional gave up 14 sen to RM13.68, while Maybank was flat RM10.10.
Of the active stocks, Top Glove edged up 4.0 sen to RM1.37, Supermax gained 5.0 sen to RM1.08, JCY International added 2.5 sen to 50.5 sen, MYEG shed half-a-sen to 93.5 sen, while Malayan United Industries was flat at 6.5 sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index perked up 8.51 points to 12,340.05, the FBMT 100 Index increased 7.59 points to 12,023.31, the FBM 70 Index jumped 106.34 points to 18,493.80, the FBM ACE Index climbed 19.99 points to 5,286.81, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index rose 21.36 points to 12,356.57.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index erased 2.10 points to 19,102.44, the Plantation Index slipped 26.68 points to 7,725.16, the Energy Index lost 1.25 points to 822.07, but the Industrial Products and Services Index firmed by 1.53 points to 176.21.
The Main Market volume narrowed to 1.46 billion units worth RM2.38 billion against yesterday’s 1.58 billion units worth RM2.15 billion.
Warrants turnover improved to 880.21 million units valued at RM121.0 million from 871.77 million units valued at RM103.66 million previously.
The ACE Market volume dwindled to 402.21 million units worth RM138.63 million compared with 545.17 million units worth RM148.35 million yesterday.
Consumer products and services counters accounted for 212.14 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (262.88 million), construction (82.32 million), technology (208.64 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (84.46 million), property (152.15 million), plantation (51.68 million), REITs (15.50 million), closed/fund (14,900), energy (111.35 million), healthcare (187.67 million), telecommunications and media (25.99 million), transportation and logistics (22.65 million), utilities (37.88 million), and business trusts (68,500). — Bernama
