Bursa Malaysia Closes Slightly Higher

By Zarul Effendi Razali and Danni Haizal Danial Donald

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia turned slightly higher at the close today, supported by continued buying in selected heavyweights led by financial services, industrial products and services counters amid a mixed regional markets' performance, an analyst said.

At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) gained 1.20 points, or 0.08 per cent, to 1,550.19 from Thursday’s close of 1,548.99. 

The index opened 1.75 points higher at 1,550.74 and hovered between 1,547.70 and 1,551.78  throughout the day.

The broader market was positive with 489 gainers compared to 466 decliners, while 509 counters were unchanged, 923 untraded and 21 suspended.

Turnover fell to 3.43 billion units worth RM2.47 billion against 5.09 billion units worth RM2.9 billion on Thursday.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the FBM KLCI closed marginally higher with buying mainly on consumer, utilities and banks, with profit-taking on Petronas-linked stocks.

“Regional market tone remained cautious following President Donald Trump's plan to issue official communications today on revised US tariff rates to key global economies.

“To date, the US has signed trade deals only with the UK and Vietnam, and a limited framework with China. As for the local bourse, sentiment remains positive thanks to the return of foreign funds,” he told Bernama.

Among heavyweights, Maybank lost 6.0 sen to RM9.74, Public Bank added 8.0 sen to RM4.38, Tenaga Nasional ticked up 4.0 sen to RM14.06, CIMB dropped 2.0 sen to RM6.77, and IHH Healthcare went down 10 sen to RM6.75.

As for the most active stocks, Borneo Oil was flat at half-a-sen, Zetrix AI improved 2.0 sen to 99.5 sen, Nationgate went up 11 sen to RM1.78, NexG was 1.0 sen higher at 40 sen and Tanco dropped 1.0 sen to 89 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index increased 0.02 of a point to 11,617.72, the FBMT 100 Index narrowed 1.22 points to 11,390.70, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index climbed 20.20 points to 11,617.82.

The FBM 70 Index went down 45.49 points to 16,787.04, while the FBM ACE Index lost 1.62 points to 4,526.40.

By sector, the Financial Services Index improved 56.63 points to 17,791.22, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged up 1.07 points to 157.08, and the Plantation Index added 12.91 points to 7,448.74, while the Energy Index fell 1.90 points to 741.61.

The Main Market volume went down to 1.96 billion units worth RM2.25 billion against 3.08 billion units valued at RM2.66 billion on Thursday.

Warrants turnover dropped to 1.20 billion units valued at RM126.56 million from 1.70 billion units worth RM191.47 million previously.

The ACE Market volume fell to 274.38 million units valued at RM90.83 million versus 314.46 million units valued at RM91.46 million yesterday.

Consumer products and services counters accounted for 216.97 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (721.31 billion), construction (93.05 million), technology (294.28 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (62.87 million), property (195.39 million), plantation (20.18 million), REITs (23.49 million), closed end fund (8,500), energy (82.27 million), healthcare (142.44 million), telecommunications and media (27.97 million), transportation and logistics (33.40 million), utilities (42.81 million), and business trusts (26,800). 

-- BERNAMA