At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 3.80 points to 1,418.05 from Wednesday’s close of 1,414.25.
The barometer index opened 2.19 points better at 1,416.44, and moved between 1,413.46 and 1,418.17 throughout the day.
However, the market breadth was negative with decliners leading gainers 417 to 388, while 414 counters were unchanged, 1,075 untraded and 65 others suspended.
Turnover fell to 2.49 billion units valued at RM1.46 billion from 2.55 billion units valued at RM1.54 billion on Wednesday.
Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said key regional indices were also in positive territory as investors were positive on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s phone call with Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky and China’s plan to send a delegation to Ukraine for a possible peace deal.
Meanwhile, Bank of Japan governor Kazuo Ueda is expected to maintain the ultra-loose monetary policy, he noted.
“Back home, we believe the market undertone remains cautious due to various external factors although bargain-hunting activities may continue.
“Hence, we anticipate the FBM KLCI to trend within the 1,410-1,420 range towards the weekend with immediate support at 1,400 and resistance at 1,440,” he told Bernama.
Among the heavyweights, Maybank jumped nine sen to RM8.70 and CIMB rose two sen to RM5.07, while Public Bank and CelcomDigi were flat at RM3.89 and RM4.40 respectively. Petronas Chemicals slipped 11 sen to RM7.04.
As for the actives, Classita gained two sen to 18 sen, Tanco bagged 5.5 sen to 53.5 sen, while Computer Forms and Velesto were one sen higher at 28 sen and 23 sen respectively.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index increased 19.74 points to 10,411.82, the FBMT 100 Index rose 17.05 points to 10,094.73, the FBM Emas Shariah Index fell 1.78 points to 10,748.98, the FBM ACE Index was 1.74 points better at 5,352.40, and the FBM 70 Index dropped 18.48 points to 13,540.23.
Sector-wise, the industrial products and services index shaved 0.62 of-a-point to 170.86 and the plantation index ticked down 28.79 points to 6,855.67, while the energy index rose 3.84 points to 847.34 and the financial services index climbed 67.99 points to 15,560.03.
The Main Market volume decreased to 1.66 billion units valued at RM1.21 billion from 1.73 billion units valued at RM1.43 billion on Wednesday.
Warrant turnover fell to 185.13 million units worth RM36.12 million against 301.54 million units worth RM56.14 million previously.
The ACE Market volume strengthened to 651.76 million shares worth RM206.91 million versus 517.42 million shares worth RM170.95 million yesterday.
Consumer products and services counters accounted for 295.47 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (412.74 million); construction (74.5 million); technology (184.94 million); SPAC (nil), financial services (51.55 million); property (286 million); plantation (18.51 million); REITs (7.54 million), closed/fund (3,600); energy (86.46 million); healthcare (93.7 million); telecommunications and media (66.55 million); transportation and logistics (49.7 million); and utilities (33.99 million).