The main index moved in uptrend mode to 1,433.39 throughout the day

BURSA Malaysia ended higher today driven by bargain hunting amid improved sentiment across the board, with the key composite index closing on an intra-day high. 

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) gained 10.8 points to 1,433.39 from last Friday’s closing of 1,422.59.

The main index opened 4.18 points higher at 1,426.77 and moved in uptrend mode to 1,433.39 throughout the day.

Market breadth was positive as gainers thumped decliners at 592 to 312, while 388 counters were unchanged, 934 untraded and 32 others suspended.

Turnover widened to 3.38 billion units worth RM1.63 billion versus 3.27 billion units worth RM1.76 billion last Friday.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd VP (equity research) Thong Pak Leng said key regional indices ended mostly higher with accumulation on technology stocks, while investors closely monitored a slew of central bank meetings and economic readings around the globe.

On the home front, he said, the return of foreign buying will boost investors’ confidence and market sentiment. 

“We believe the market undertone will remain steady on the domestic front, and we expect the index to stay positive going forward,” he said in a note. 

Among Bursa’s heavyweight counters, Malayan Banking Bhd gained 10 sen to RM8.67, Public Bank Bhd was unchanged at RM4, Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd rose 14 sen to RM7.21, Tenaga Nasional Bhd added one sen to RM9.24, while CIMB Group Holdings Bhd lost one sen to RM5.30.

As for the actives, Vinvest Capital Holdings Bhd and Zen Tech International Bhd increased half-a-sen each to 20.5 sen and 2.5 sen, respectively, Velesto Energy Bhd ticked up one sen to 22 sen, Computer Forms (M) Bhd gained 1.5 sen to 23 sen and MMAG Holdings Bhd stayed flat at two sen.

Top gainers were Harrisons Holdings (M) Bhd which improved 49 sen to RM9.25, Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd which strengthened 40 sen to RM18.38 and Nestle (M) Bhd which firmed 30 sen to RM137.40.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index increased 81.83 points to 10,501.46, the FBM T100 Index improved 75.22 points to 10,189.25 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index advanced 95.25 points to 10,811.68.

The FBM 70 Index went up 93.78 points to 13,606.16 and the FBM ACE Index was 85.32 points better at 5,312.12.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index grew 91.39 points to 15,800.09, the Industrial Products and Services Index inched up 1.98 points to 173.06, the Plantation Index firmed up 37.96 points to 6,779.24 and the Energy Index advanced 28.95 points to 865.76.

The Main Market volume widened to 2.33 billion shares worth RM1.38 billion against 1.94 billion shares worth RM1.46 billion last Friday. 

Warrant turnover narrowed to 239.97 million units worth RM40 million from 417.71 million units worth RM77.22 million previously.

The ACE Market volume slid to 806.14 million shares worth RM212.17 million versus 909.05 million shares worth RM223.97 million last week.

Consumer products and services counters accounted for 281.16 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (992.89 million); construction (115.54 million); technology (197.18 million); SPAC (nil), financial services (45.63 million); property (177.35 million); plantation (32.48 million); REITs (8.8 million), closed/fund (19,400); energy (239.13 million); healthcare (114.63 million); telecommunications and media (33.66 million); transportation and logistics (42.66 million); and utilities (52.78 million). — Bernama / pic TMR File