BURSA MALAYSIA REBOUNDS TO CLOSE MARGINALLY HIGHER

By Siti Noor Afera Abu

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia experienced a choppy trading session but settled marginally higher on Thursday, recovering from the previous day’s losses, supported by banking and consumer stocks.

At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) edged up 0.66 of-a-point to 1,632.27 from yesterday’s close of 1,631.61.

The barometer index opened 2.18 points higher at 1,633.79, and fluctuated between 1,631.15 and 1,635.27 throughout the trading session.

The broader market, however, was negative with 550 losers outnumbering 480 gainers, while 599 counters were unchanged, 1,110 untraded, and 10 suspended.

Turnover improved to 3.95 billion units worth RM2.77 billion from 3.42 billion units worth RM2.85 billion on Wednesday.

IPPFA Sdn Bhd director of investment strategy and country economist Mohd Sedek Jantan said the index opened firm in the morning before easing in the afternoon, though sentiment remained constructive.

“Confidence continues to build, as evidenced by foreign investors turning net buyers from Monday to Wednesday this week, even as the ringgit extends its strengthening trend,” he told Bernama.

Globally, Mohd Sedek said sentiment improved further after the US government reopened following the passage of a bill in the House of Representatives, later signed by President Donald Trump.

This development removes an immediate tail risk and paves the way for the gradual resumption of official US economic data releases, he stated.

Among heavyweights, Maybank and IHH Healthcare rose one sen to RM9.95 and RM8.25 respectively, Public Bank added three sen to RM4.30, Tenaga Nasional gained 10 sen to RM13.50, while CIMB lost two sen to RM7.57. 

On the most active list, VS Industry gained 3.5 sen to 50.5 sen, Tanco was half-a-sen firmer at 94.5 sen, while TWL, Genting Malaysia, and Zetrix AI were flat at 2.5 sen, RM2.35, and 85 sen, respectively.

Among the top gainers, Fraser & Neave went up RM1.36 to RM32.40 and Dutch Lady rose RM1.32 to RM28.60. Amway and Ajinomoto increased 18 sen each to RM4.99 and RM14.0, respectively. 

As for the top losers, Malaysian Pacific Industries fell 40 sen to RM30.60, United Plantations dipped 24 sen to RM26.0, Petronas Dagangan slipped 22 sen to RM22.44, while Sungei Bagan and Dufu Technology slid 11 sen each to RM5.61 and RM1.94, respectively.

On the index board, the FBMT 100 Index climbed 5.60 points to 11,872.34, the FBM Emas Index improved 3.79 points to 12,109.52, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index advanced 8.23 points to 12,130.96.

The FBM ACE Index perked up 7.93 points to 5,072.60 and the FBM Mid 70 Index garnered 11.44 points to 16,966.91.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index erased 17.63 points to 8,155.85, the Financial Services Index rose 38.07 points to 18,465.93, the Industrial Products and Services Index inched up 0.78 of-a-point to 168.51, while the Energy Index eased 1.28 points to 756.81.

The Main Market volume widened to 1.55 billion units valued at RM2.29 billion from 1.48 billion units valued at RM2.45 billion on Wednesday.

Warrants turnover jumped to 2.03 billion units worth RM342.36 million compared with 1.55 billion units worth RM221.58 million previously.

The ACE Market volume dwindled to 360.12 million units valued at RM139.57 million from 578.30 million units valued at RM179.56 million yesterday.

Consumer products and services counters accounted for 372.45 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (323.20 million), construction (78.03 million), technology (236.22 million), financial services (51.56 million), property (200.72 million), plantation (30.94 million), real estate investment trusts (21.43 million), closed-end fund (42,400), energy (65.75 million), healthcare (55.76 million), telecommunications and media (35.34 million), transportation and logistics (43.77 million), utilities (40.61 million), and business trusts (75,600).

-- BERNAMA