Bursa Malaysia ends on firm note
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended on a firm note today boosted by strong gains in most index-linked counters coupled with encouraging gross domestic product growth figures reported for 2017, dealers said.
At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended at 1,834.93, up 1.91 points, or 0.104%, compared with yesterday's close of 1,833.02.
After opening 2.63 points better at 1,835.65, the local barometer moved between 1,829.71 and 1,835.80 throughout the day.
Gainers outpaced losers by 580 to 338, while 376 counters were unchanged, 588 untraded and 20 others suspended.
Trading volume stood at 1.93 billion shares worth RM1.98 billion, up from 1.62 billion share worth RM2.44 billion yesterday.
A dealer said the higher FBM KLCI was helped by factors like the better-than-expected 2017 and fourth-quarter GDP figures released by Bank Negara Malaysia today, overnight gains on Wall Street as well as stronger regional bourses.
The central bank announced today that the Malaysian economy expanded by 5.9% in 2017 versus 4.2% in 2016.
The FBM Emas Index improved 21.87 points to 13,071.73, FBMT 100 Index rose 15.70 points to 12,790.08 and the FBM 70 increased by 27.55 points to 16,001.22.
The FBM Emas Shariah Index surged 10.72 points to 13,374.70 and the FBM Ace advanced 71.87 points to 6,182.29.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index was 72.37 points higher at 17,608.04, Industrial Index fell 34.92 points to 3,197.94 and the Plantation Index added 2.88 points to 7,994.09.
The Main Market volume rose to 1.27 billion units worth RM1.85 billion from Tuesday's 1.01 billion units worth RM2.32 billion.
Volume on the ACE Market increased to 310.60 million shares valued at RM61.21 million from 285.14 million shares valued at RM47.95 million yesterday.
Warrants volume surged to 337.42 million units worth RM64.98 million from the 314.22 million units worth RM67.24 million on Tuesday.
Consumer products accounted for 51.23 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (346.27 million), construction (52.08 million), trade and services (601.41 million), technology (60.10 million), infrastructure (2.69 million), SPAC (2.94 million), finance (44.27 million), hotels (365,300), properties (80.86 million), plantations (27.46 million), mining (1.21 million), REITs (6.81 million) and closed/fund (13,000).
Bursa Malaysia will open for half day tomorrow and close on Friday for the Chinese New Year.
It will resume operations on Monday. — Bernama