KL shares end 0.45% lower prompted by index-linked heavyweights
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended lower Monday with the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) closing 8.34 points or 0.45% easier at 1,847.30, dampened by losses in index-linked heavyweights.
Selling spree, as predicted by analysts based on spiking geopolitical risk and China growth worries, was extended after Chinese factory and retails sales data released today indicated the economy was slowing.
British American Tobacco led the benchmark index lower with a RM2.56 loss to RM70.80, Tenaga Nasional dipped eight sen to RM12.40 while KL Kepong declined 40 sen to RM21.52.
"However, bluechips received local institutional support, with the key index edging off its low. Intraday, it dipped to as low as 1,836.50," said a trader.
On the broader market, Bursa's losers today outpaced gainers by 636 to 214, with 296 counters unchanged, 475 counters untraded and 13 others were suspended.
Total volume contracted to 1.93 billion shares, worth RM1.75 billion, from 2.49 billion shares, worth RM2.23 billion, recorded on Friday.
On other scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index lost 66.69 points to 12,924.82, the FBMT100 Index shed 61.04 points to 12,505.54 while the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 55.19 points easier at 13,179.39.
The FBM 70 eased 87.07 points to 14,276.01 and the FBM Ace declined 40.25 points to 7,137.86.
On a sectorial basis, the Finance Index tumbled 101.29 points to 17,289.04, the Industrial Index dipped 11.13 points to 3,201.30 while the Plantation Index shed 37.98 points to 8,452.80.
Among actively-traded stocks, Globaltec was flat at 10.5 sen, I-Bhd-Loan Rights lost 30 sen to 11.5 sen, DGB Asia gained 1.5 sen to 17 sen and Pasukhas added half-a-sen to 34.5 sen.
The Main Market volume dipped to 1.29 billion units, worth RM1.63 billion, from last Friday's 1.79 billion units worth RM2.09 billion.
Turnover on the ACE Market declined to 504.09 million shares, valued at RM106.54 million, from 629.92 million shares, valued at RM128.29 million, recorded previously.
Warrants shrank to 26.49 million units, worth RM3.98 million, from 58.96 million units, worth RM3.11 million, recorded on Friday.
Consumer products accounted for 90.89 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (413.24 million), construction (53.89 million), trade and services (454.55 million), technology (67.35 million), infrastructure (16.28 million), SPAC (15.91 million), finance (39.07 million), hotels (742,900), properties (115.61 million), plantations (19.70 million), mining (45,000), REITs (4.77 million) and closed/fund (39,000).
The local bourse will be closed tomorrow for the Malaysia Day holiday. – Bernama