KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia closed mixed on the last trading day of 2018, amid some mild window-dressing in selected blue chips and heavyweights, a dealer said.
At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) wrapped up the day 1.49 points or 0.09 per cent weaker at 1,690.58 from Friday’s close of 1,692.07.
The barometer index moved between 1,689.04 and 1,701.10 throughout the day, after opening 1.69 points higher at 1,693.76.
Total volume was slightly higher today with 1.57 billion shares worth RM1.33 billion from 1.41 billion shares worth RM1.10 billion recorded last Friday.
Market breadth was however positive with 429 gainers outpacing 361 losers, while 355 counters were unchanged, 728 untraded and 44 others suspended.
The dealer said the barometer index did not reach the 1,780 mark as forecast earlier by analysts.
“Traditionally, towards the end of the year, the market will be supported by window-dressing activities, but somehow this was followed by profit-taking.
“It (window-dressing) was artificial,“ the dealer said, adding that the market will be closed on Tuesday due to the New Year celebration.
He added that the local bourse was rather lacklustre as investors were still on a holiday mood since Christmas.
In contrast, Bursa Malaysia ended trading on the last day of 2017 with a big bang, hitting a year high of 1,796.81 points (up by 17.71 points) with extensive buying in heavyweights.
Meanwhile, the stock market performance in 2018 was pressured by, among others geopolitical fears, escalating US-China trade dispute and the yo-yo commodities prices.
Among heavyweights, Maybank rose seven sen to RM9.50, Tenaga gained four sen to RM13.60, Public Bank declined 12 sen to RM24.76 and Petronas Chemicals was three sen weaker at RM9.29.
Of actives, Sapura rose half-a-sen to 29 sen, Hubline and MYEG were both flat at 4.5 sen and 97.5 sen, respectively, while KNM slipped half-a-sen to 7.5 sen.
The physical price of gold as at 5pm stood at RM164.75 per gramme, down 41 sen from RM165.16 at 5pm last Friday.
The FBM Emas Index slipped 9.79 points to 11,527.51, the FBMT 100 Index decreased 10.97 points to 11,443.61 and the FBM Emas Syariah Index shed 4.99 points to 11,504.43.
The FBM Ace Index was 57.29 points higher at 4,317.49 and the FBM 70 was 16.33 points weaker at 13,075.19.
Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down 0.32 of-a-point to 166.49, the Finance Index slid 45.23 points to 17,296.47 while the Plantation Index advanced 5.22 points to 6,902.96.
Main Market volume rose to 1.24 billion shares worth RM1.27 billion from 1.04 billion shares worth RM1.02 billion last Friday.
Warrants turnover dropped to 158.33 million units valued at RM35.02 million versus 216.53 million units valued at RM53.04 million.
Volume on the ACE Market advanced to 162.11 million shares worth RM23.84 million compared with 125.23 million shares worth RM23.17 million.
Consumer products and services accounted for 141.62 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (200.12 million), construction (100.01 million), technology (153.18 million), SPAC (1.96 million), financial services (26.04 million), property (118.41 million), plantations (29.17 million), REITs (27.74 million), closed/fund (nil), energy (251.11 million), healthcare (28.59 million), telecommunications and media (26.52 million), transportation and logistics (114.05 million), and utilities (21.63 million). — Bernama
