Bursa Malaysia ends lower
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia closed lower today on persistent profit-taking led by Maybank, bucking the trend of its regional peers.
The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 4.01 points to close at 1,750.41 from 1,754.42, registered on Tuesday.
Earlier, the index opened 3.04 points higher at 1,757.46 and moved between 1,747.16 and 1,759.76 throughout the day.
On the broader market, gainers led losers 522 to 402, with 352 counters unchanged, 455 untraded and 48 others were suspended.
Volume expanded to 3.39 billion units, worth RM2.63 billion, from 3.06 billion units, worth RM2.41 billion, registered on Tuesday.
Solid US data showed that consumer confidence was at a 16-year high coupled with indications from the Federal Reserve that interest rates may be raised further overshadowed news of Britain officially pursuing its exit process from the European Union.
Meanwhile, Sapurakencana Petroleum, which gained one sen to RM1.88 sen, will have its name changed to Sapura Energy with effect from March 30, 2017.
On heavyweights, Maybank lost three sen to RM8.97, TNB was flat at RM13.74 while Public Bank added two sen to RM19.94.
Other heavyweights, Sime Darby recovered one sen to RM9.40 and Petronas Chemicals added two sen to RM7.62.
As actives, Konsortium Transnasional rose 3.5 sen to 19.5 sen, Permaju Industries gained seven sen to 26 sen and Sanbumi was up 5.5 sen at 28.5 sen.
The FBM Emas Index shed 8.47 points to 12,414.00, the FBMT100 Index fell 11.09 points to 12,067.68 but the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 3.93 points higher at 12,846.27.
The FBM 70 increased 49.02 points to 14,585.76 but the FBM Ace was 23.92 points lower at 5,732.73.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index eased 19.46 points to 15,733.19, the Plantation Index dipped 14.57 points to 8,193.83 and the Industrial Index was 20.49 points weaker at 3,269.48.
Main Market turnover expanded to 2.50 billion units, worth RM2.47 billion, from 2.24 billion units, valued at RM2.27 billion, recorded on Tuesday.
Volume on the ACE Market increased to 668.70 million shares, worth RM124.49 million, from 623.06 million shares, valued at RM108.65 million, previously.
Warrants rose to 217.45 million units, worth RM30.21 million, from Tuesday's 188.44 million units valued at RM30.20 million .
Consumer products accounted for 193.39 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (523.22 million), construction (244.56 million), trade and services (846.68 million), technology (160.70 million), infrastructure (11.79 million), SPAC (2.39 million), finance (75.59 million), hotels (1.62 million), properties (404.06 million), plantations (29.17 million), mining (39,800), REITs (9.06 million), and closed/fund (nil).
The physical price of gold as at 5pm stood at RM171.99 per gramme, down 20 sen from RM172.19 at 5pm yesterday. — Bernama