FBM KLCI HITS INTRADAY HIGH AT THE CLOSE ON BARGAIN-HUNTING ACTIVITIES

KUALA LUMPUR, April 2 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia’s benchmark index ended higher, amid an overall cautious market sentiment, on bargain-hunting activities, said an analyst. 

At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) advanced 12.87 points or 0.85 per cent to the day’s high of 1,526.52 from Friday’s close of 1,513.65.

The benchmark index had opened 3.49 points higher at 1,517.14 and reached an intraday low of 1,514.08.  

In the broader market, decliners thumped gainers 637 to 288, while 428 counters were unchanged, 995 untraded and nine suspended.  

Turnover went up to 2.37 billion units valued at RM2.03 billion from Friday’s 2.25 billion units valued at RM2.13 billion.  

The market was closed on March 31 and April 1 for the Hari Raya public holidays. 

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the market remained wary as market sentiment has turned highly fragile, with momentum fluctuating frequently amid heightened uncertainty over US President Donald Trump’s next move on tariffs.

“We expect bargain hunting may continue and anticipate the FBM KLCI to trend within the range of 1,515-1,535 for the week,” he added.

Among the heavyweights, Maybank jumped 20 sen to RM10.32, TNB strengthened by 38 sen to RM13.76, CIMB surged 14 sen to RM7.14, Hong Leong Bank gained 24 sen to RM20.38, Public Bank and IHH Healthcare eased three sen each to RM4.39 and RM6.89, while Press Metal eased one sen to RM5.03. 

Among the actives, MYEG gained two sen to 93 sen, Sapura Energy inched up half-a-sen to five sen, T7 Global shed 18 sen to 32 sen, TA Win edged down half-a-sen to 2.5 sen, and KPJ Healthcare trimmed two sen to RM2.64. 

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index accumulated 42.28 points to 11,390.32, the FBMT 100 Index gained 56.04 points to 11,159.16, the FBM Emas Shariah Index ticked up 10.56 points to 11,134.97, the FBM 70 Index declined 69.68 points to 16,206.41 and the FBM ACE Index shed 42.86 points to 4,766.06. 

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index soared 188.09 points to 18,572.30, the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 1.38 points to 151.89, the Energy Index dipped 12.93 points to 745.05, and the Plantation Index depreciated 29.62 points to 7,408.11. 

The Main Market volume went down to 1.22 billion units worth RM1.83 billion from 1.43 billion units worth RM1.97 billion last Friday. 

Warrants turnover increased to 921.35 million units worth RM131.84 million from 523.75 million units valued at RM77.89 million previously.  

The ACE Market volume decreased to 225.77 million units worth RM74.92 million against Friday’s 287.90 million units worth RM84.44 million. 

Consumer products and services counters accounted for 156.99 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (269.72 million), construction (67.28 million), technology (92.48 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (136.93 million), property (96.14 million), plantation (16.0 million), REITs (12.10 million), closed/fund (7,500), energy (171.69 million), healthcare (74.29 million), telecommunications and media (33.02 million), transportation and logistics (40.05 million), utilities (55.44 million), and business trusts (57,000).

-- BERNAMA