KL shares end marginally lower

KUALA LUMPUR:

Shares on Bursa Malaysia ended trading marginally lower yesterday due to lack of fresh leads, in line with regional markets, with losses led by consumer counters, dealers said.

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) closed 0.25 of-a-point lower at 1,759.99 from Friday’s close of 1,760.24, after opening 1.73 points lower at 1,758.51.

The key index moved in a narrow range of between 1,753.51 and 1,760.45 throughout the day.

Market breadth was negative with 489 losers against 387 gainers, while 374 counters were unchanged, 604 untraded and 34 others suspended.

Total volume rose to 2.07 billion shares worth RM1.60 billion from 1.63 billion shares valued at RM1.54 billion on Friday.

Nestle and Dutch Lady were the top losers, declining RM2 and 60 sen each to RM100 and RM60, respectively.

A dealer said the Asian bourses were traded mixed amid thin trading due to lack of fresh catalysts post-Christmas holiday.

The Singapore’s Straits Times index slipped 0.22 per cent to 3,378.12 points, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.72 per cent to 29,578.01 points while South Korea’s Kospi shed 0.54 per cent to 2,427.34 points.

Among heavyweights, both Maybank and CIMB Group slipped one sen each to RM9.47 and RM6.48, respectively, while TNB, Public Bank and Petronas Chemicals were flat at RM14.98, RM20.70 and RM7.60, respectively.

Of the actives, NETX eased half-asen to four sen, Hibiscus Petroleum gained four sen to 85 sen, PUC added one sen to 32 sen while Diversified Gateway was flat at 12 sen.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index was down 4.67 points to 12,657.08, FBMT 100 Index decreased 5.51 points to 12,328.76 and the FBM Ace fell 31.43 points to 6,434.07.

The FBM Emas Shariah Index perked 7.91 points to 13,018.78 and the FBM 70 dipped 19.67 points to 15,630.77.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index erased 4.27 points to 16,590.65, the Industrial Index improved 38.32 points to 3,230.85 and the Plantation Index eased 0.54 of-a-point to 7,899.60.

Main Market volume advanced to 1.25 billion units worth RM1.46 billion compared with 1.03 billion units valued at RM1.43 billion on Friday.

Volume on the ACE Market rose to 638.36 million shares worth RM107.70 million from 436 million shares valued at RM90.30 million previously.

Warrants volume increased to 172.38 million units worth RM30.04 million from 158.50 million units valued at RM23.17 million on Friday.

Consumer products accounted for 47.70 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (434.02 million), construction (48.16 million), trade and services (434.12 million), technology (100.93 million), infrastructure (9.06 million), SPAC (5.85 million), finance (41.19 million), hotels (208,700), properties (110.57 million), plantations (13.90 million), mining (65,000), REITs (2.29 million), and closed/fund (2,900).

For further information on stocks and prices, please visitwww.bursamalaysia.com.