At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 1.54 points to end at 1,516.62 compared with yesterday’s close of 1,518.16.
The benchmark index, which opened 1.38 points easier at 1,516.78 this morning, moved between 1,514.67 and 1,522.52 throughout the day.
Market breadth was negative as losers led gainers 487 to 364, while 415 counters were unchanged, 1,032 not traded, and six others suspended.
Total turnover decreased to 2.51 billion units worth RM1.95 billion from 2.72 billion units worth RM1.91 billion yesterday.
MISC and TNB were among the biggest contributors to the losses in the composite index, declining 35 sen and nine sen to RM6.87 and RM8.78, respectively, contributing a combined 3.55 points.
Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said key regional markets closed broadly lower in response to negative cues from Wall Street overnight as worries over slowing growth and soaring inflation continued to weigh on market sentiment.
“Meanwhile, the China and Hong Kong markets also felt the impact of profit warning from Country Garden Holdings,” he told Bernama.
Back home, Thong said, the FBM KLCI moved in a tight range today due to profit-taking, while on the other hand, foreign funds continued to flow into the local market.
“Nonetheless, the benchmark index remained well supported at above 1,510. Despite the persistent net inflow of foreign funds, market sentiments are still cautious due to heightened global volatility and uncertainties.
“Hence, we expect the FBM KLCI to remain in a consolidation mode and hover at the 1,510 to 1,525 range towards the weekend,” he added.
Among other heavyweights, Maybank slipped two sen to RM8.95, Public Bank was flat at RM4.65, while Petronas Chemicals added three sen to RM8.75, IHH Healthcare went up a sen to RM6.51, and CIMB advanced two sen to RM5.47.
Of the actives, Metronic Global was flat at five sen, Cnergenz soared 18.5 sen to 91 sen, Agmo Holdings jumped 52.5 sen to 78.5 sen, and Hartalega rose six sen to RM1.80, while Coraza climbed 6.5 sen to 82 sen.
On the index board, the FBMT 100 index fell 14.71 points to 10,477.44, the FBM emas shariah index shed 29.28 points to 10,870.96, the FBM 70 went down 34.27 points to 12,732.28, the FBM ACE improved 22.89 points to 4,972.15, while the FBM emas index slid 13.81 points to 10,730.03.
Sector-wise, the financial services index increased 30.56 points to 16,819.34, the plantation index dipped 5.77 points to 7,288.95, the industrial products and services index eased 0.54 of-a-point to 183.03, and the energy index put on 7.93 points to 667.53.
The Main Market volume decreased to 1.57 billion shares worth RM1.49 billion from 1.98 billion shares worth RM1.72 billion yesterday.
Warrants turnover dwindled to 275.28 million units valued at RM47.06 million versus 313.18 million units valued at RM44.86 million previously.
The ACE Market volume swelled to 672.04 million shares worth RM410.63 million from 432.65 million shares worth RM143.61 million yesterday.
Consumer products and services counters accounted for 223.96 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (503.29 million), construction (35.24 million), technology (197.6 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (50.63 million), property (205.9 million), plantation (21.82 million), REITs (3.41 million), closed/fund (3,000), energy (82.77 million), healthcare (173.97 million), telecommunications and media (24.51 million), transportation and logistics (28.33 million), and utilities (14.04 million).