Shares on Bursa Malaysia close easier

KUALA LUMPUR: Shares on Bursa Malaysia were lower, easing 0.08 per cent at close, despite a report that investment in the electrical and electronics (E&E) industry is set to surge in 2019.

The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) expects higher approved E&E investments of RM13 billion for the E&E industry in 2019 from RM11.2 billion in 2018, driven by the sector’s strong and vibrant ecosystem. The E&E industry created 11,180 jobs in 2018.

“Major multinational companies and Malaysian-owned companies have continuously contributed to the steady growth of the industry in Malaysia,” said MIDA.

The benchmark index closed 1.4 points lower at 1,641.33 compared with Wednesday’s close of 1,642.73.

The benchmark index opened at 1,642.9, rising 0.17 points, and moved between 1,638.69 and 1,645.21 throughout the day.

On the scoreboard, market breadth was negative with decliners outnumbering gainers 447 to 338, while 380 counters remained unchanged, 747 were untraded and 86 others suspended.

Volume eased to 1.93 billion units worth RM1.66 billion compared with 2.06 billion units worth RM1.71 billion on Wednesday.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank was flat at RM9.26 and Tenaga declined six sen to RM12.52.

PChem rose 10 sen to RM9.15, CIMB improved four sen to RM5.11 and PBBank declined 12 sen to RM23.28.

Among actives, Sapura Energy added half-a-sen to 33.5 sen, My E.G Services and V.S Industry gained five sen each to RM1.07, respectively.

Destini Bhd and Berjaya Corporation were flat at 30 sen and 27 sen, respectively.

The FBM Emas Index declined 1.09 points to 11,530.37, the FBM Emas Shariah Index trimmed six points to 11,650.46, but FBMT 100 increased 0.43 of a points to 11,385.97.

The FBM Ace Index decreased 22.66 points to 4,795.92, but the FBM 70 was 41.8 points higher at 14,164.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index was 0.58 point better at 168.77, the Financial Services Index decreased 1.00 point to 16,937.71 and the Plantation Index was 48.3 points lower at 7,169.5.

Main Market volume narrowed to 1.2 billion shares worth RM1.5 billion versus 1.4 billion shares worth RM1.57 billion on Wednesday.

Warrants rose to 458.35 million units valued at RM100.7 million compared with 354.01 million units valued at RM73.2 million.

Volume on the ACE Market trimmed to 271.39 million shares worth RM61.08 million from 309.78 million shares worth RM69.53 million.

Consumer products and services accounted for 138.18 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (281.2 million), construction (96.9 million), technology (121.01 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (47.17 million), property (77.98 million), plantation (15.03 million), REITs (14.33 million), closed/fund (9,000), energy (333.24 million), healthcare (19.85 million), telecommunications and media (20.05 million), transportation and logistics (22.14 million), and utilities (19.03 million).

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