Bursa Malaysia rebounds to close marginally higher

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia finished higher today on last-minute buying support in key heavyweights led by Sime Darby.
The multinational conglomerate, which contributed 1.24 points to the key index, rose 11 sen to RM8.06 with 4.93 million shares changing hands.
The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was in the negative territory for the most part of the trading session but picked up momentum late in the day to close 1.06 points better at 1,630.38 compared with yesterday's close of 1,629.32.
It opened 1.98 points higher at 1,631.3.
The index moved between 1,622.49 and 1,631.67 throughout the day. Volume inched up to 1.56 billion shares worth RM1.83 billion from 1.50 billion shares worth RM1.81 billion on Tuesday.
A dealer said the emergence of bargain hunters nibbling on cheaper quality stocks lifted the key index to settle near the day's high at 1,631.67.
"Not only that, the local bourse also rides on the back of positive influence from its regional peers," he added.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng went up 1.43% to 22,678.07, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.31% to 18,162.94 and Singapore's Straits Times improved 0.29% to 2,830.30.
Among the heavyweights counters, IOI Corp rose four sen to RM4.40, Hong Leong Bank climbed eight sen to RM13.20, RHB edged up five sen to RM4.75, Petronas Dagangan went up 12 sen to RM23.58 and Genting Malaysia improved two sen to RM4.72.
On the broader market, decliners led advancers 547 to 238, while 321 counters were unchanged, 617 untraded and 26 others suspended.
The gainers list was led by Malaysia Smelting Corp which soared 34 sen to RM4.29, Huat Lai jumped 20 sen to 5.04, Perusahaan Sadur Timah added 16 sen to RM6.91, MAHB increased 13 sen to RM6.33, Amway rose 12 sen to RM7.64.
On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index fell 13.40 points to 11,463.88, the FBMT100 Index edged down 6.70 points to 11,180.47, the FBM 70 declined 58.74 points to 13,278.92, the FBM Ace lost 49.58 points to 4,967.65 and the FBM Emas Syariah Index dropped 18.0 points to 12,059.56.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index was 8.23 points easier at 14,154.27, the Plantation Index fell 24.17 points to 7,679.60 but the Industrial Index gained 9.16 points to 3,079.97.
Main Market turnover was slightly higher at one billion units worth RM1.74 billion from 994.91 million units worth RM1.73 billion yesterday.
The ACE Market volume improved to 248.77 million shares valued at RM38.71 million from 208.74 million shares valued at RM33.07 million previously.
Warrants expanded to 300.04 million units worth RM43.59 million from 271.07 million units worth RM50.1 million on Tuesday.
Consumer products accounted for 41.88 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (193.85 million), construction (59.82 million), trade and services (399.86 million), technology (49.12 million), infrastructure (11.37 million), SPAC (35.47 million), finance (52.23 million), hotels (254,800) properties (41.91 million), plantations (99.68 million), mining (20,300), REITs (14.59 million), and closed/fund (21,300).
The physical price of gold as at 5pm stood at RM167.66 per gramme, up 18 sen from RM167.48 at 5pm yesterday. — Bernama