Shares on Bursa Malaysia end mixed
KUALA LUMPUR: Shares on Bursa Malaysia closed mixed as last-minute buying in selected heavyweights helped lift the benchmark index.
At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended 0.88 of-a-point better at 1,837.01 from yesterday's 1,836.13.
After opening 2.92 points higher at 1,839.05, the benchmark index moved between 1,826.32 and 1,839.07 throughout the day.
Market breadth was negative with 589 losers against 383 gainers, while 364 counters were unchanged, 534 untraded and 34 others suspended.
Volume rose to 3.02 billion units valued at RM2.34 billion from 2.21 billion units valued at RM2.02 billion yesterday.
A dealer said market sentiment turned cautious following US President Donald Trump's threat of imposing new tariffs on China.
"Trump's move reignited fears of an escalation in the trade war between the US and China, after he ordered US trade officials to consider tariffs on US$100 billion (US$1=RM3.86) more on imports from China.
"Furthermore, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today announced the dissolution of the Dewan Rakyat tomorrow and that is adding to the cautious mood in the market," he added.
Among heavyweights, Petronas Chemicals rose four sen to RM8.20, CIMB added five sen to RM7.06, IHH gained two sen to RM6.05, while Maybank and Public Bank were flat at RM10.48 and RM23.94.
Of the actively-traded stocks, UMW O&G was unchanged at 23.5 sen, Sapura Energy lost two sen to 50 sen and Borneo Oil gained half-a-sen to eight sen.
The FBM Emas Index decreased by 1.88 points to 12,776.26, FBMT 100 Index rose 1.97 points to 12,620.9 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 6.74 points better at 12,893.7.
The FBM 70 was 11.77 points weaker at 15,167.91 and the FBM Ace improved 20.46 points to 5,039.65.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index lost 51.4 points to 17,968.93, Plantation Index shed 19.37 points to 7,916.75 and the Industrial Index inched down 0.64 of-a-point to 3,198.5.
Main Market volume fell to 1.36 billion units valued at RM1.67 billion from 1.42 billion units valued at RM1.91 billion yesterday.
Volume on the ACE Market decreased to 327.84 million shares worth RM53.07 million from 438.21 million shares worth RM68.13 million.
Warrants' volume swelled to 1.34 billion units valued at RM612.73 million from 352.0 million units valued at RM43.04 million previously.
Consumer products accounted for 56.59 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (298.56 million), construction (87.33 million), trade and services (663.02 million), technology (34.93 million), infrastructure (9.69 million), SPAC (3.23 million), finance (39.1 million), hotels (3.48 million), properties (136.47 million), plantations (11.55 million), mining (80,200), REITs (16.08 million), and closed/fund (9,000). — Bernama