Bursa Malaysia ends higher in line with regional peers

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended higher today in line with firmer regional stock markets and strong buying interest in selected banking-related heavyweights.
At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended 11.07 points higher at 1,876.87 from Wednesday's close of 1,865.8.
The key index opened 0.03 of-a-point higher at 1,865.83 and moved between 1,865.83 and 1,876.87 throughout the day.
A dealer said most Southeast Asian stock markets rose as the US Federal Reserve's rate outlook for this year was seen as less hawkish than expected.
"The Federal Reserve in maintaining its outlook for a total of three rate increases for the year helps retain the allure of higher yielding assets in emerging markets," he added.
Among banking heavyweights, Maybank chalked-up 26 sen to RM10.54, Public Bank perked 36 sen to RM24.04 and Hong Leong Bank rose 52 sen to RM19.22.
For other heavyweights, Petronas Chemicals lost eight sen to RM8.21 while TNB was flat at RM15.78.
Of the active counters, Sapura Energy added 2.5 sen to 54 sen and SKH climbed half-a-sen to nine sen but Sumatec slipped half-a-sen to six sen.
DBE Gurney and Nexgram were flat at 3.5 sen and five sen.
Market breadth, however, was negative as losers led gainers 518 to 365, with 404 counters unchanged, 606 untraded and 25 others suspended.
Volume fell to 2.28 billion units worth RM2.06 billion from 2.34 billion units worth RM2.44 billion on Wednesday.
The FBM Emas Index increased 62.51 points to 13,160.05, the FBMT 100 Index rose 67.699 points to 12,933.18 and the FBM Emas Syariah Index improved 223.96 points to 13,279.52.
The FBM 70 went up 52.79 points to 15,675.21, but the FBM Ace eased 13.03 points to 5,772.81.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index surged 224.99 points to 18,375.75 and the Plantation Index rose 27.5 points to 8,042, while the Industrial Index decreased 5.08 points to 3,271.7.
Main Market volume declined to 1.51 billion units worth RM1.94 billion from 1.64 billion units worth RM2.33 billion yesterday.
Volume on the ACE Market increased to 421.15 million shares valued at RM59.89 million from Wednesday's 368.23 million shares valued at RM52.49 million.
Warrants' volume expanded to 346.93 million units worth RM58.91 million from 325.65 million units worth RM52.49 million.
Consumer products accounted for 141.39 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (228.16 million), construction (55.89 million), trade and services (754.64 million), technology (70.62 million), infrastructure (6.64 million), SPAC (110.51 million), finance (54 million), hotels (2.05 million), properties (69.93 million), plantations (13.86 million), mining (92,300), REITs (8.02 million), and closed/fund (11,000).
The physical price of gold as at 5pm stood at RM161.86 per gramme, up RM1.25 from RM160.61 at 5pm yesterday. — Bernama