KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended the week on a stronger footing yesterday, riding on positive market sentiment that helped lift investors’ risk appetite globally.
At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) settled at an intra-day high of 1,756.06, up 14.44 points or 0.83 per cent from yesterday’s close of 1,741.61.
The market barometer, which opened 0.62 of-a-point better at 1,742.23 this morning and touched an intra-day low of 1,742.23 at one point, moved in the positive territory throughout the day.
The upward trajectory, in line with regional bourses, was supported by persistent buying momentum in index-linked counters, small-caps and key heavyweights led by Maybank.
Maybank boosted the composite index by 5.55 points. The stock soared 32 sen to RM9.40 with 41.14 million shares changing hands.
Gains in two other bullish heavyweight performers, Genting Malaysia and CIMB, which rose 39 sen and 11 sen to RM5.98 and RM5.61, respectively, also largely contributed to the rise in the composite index.
Speaking to Bernama, a dealer said Asian bourses rallied yesterday as investors positively reacted to the solid Wall Street performance overnight, optimism for US tax overhaul, US trade probe on Chinese steel exports, steady oil prices, as well as gains in the Japanese stock market.
“The bullish Wall Street sparked appetite in the global stock market with investors mostly flocking to the emerging markets,” he said, adding the recovery in ringgit also partly aided the day’s upsurge.
Overall market breadth in Bursa Malaysia was positive with gainers trouncing losers 588 to 320, while 386 counters were unchanged, 457 untraded and 17 others suspended.
Trading was brisk with volume swelling to 3.12 billion units worth RM2.65 billion, from 2.64 billion units valued at RM2.24 billion billion recorded on Thursday.
Among other heavyweights, Public Bank rose four sen to RM19.96, Sime Darby added one sen to RM9.27, Petronas Chemicals gained three sen to RM7.55, but Tenaga fell six sen to RM13.74.
For actives, Dagang Nexchange perked three sen to 50.5 sen, Key Alliance inched up half-a-sen to nine sen, Tiger Synergy added one sen to seven sen, while Ace Market debutant, Eversafe Rubber rose five sen to 41 sen.
The FBM Emas Index surged 92.31 points to 12,490.58, the FBMT100 Index chalked up 90.75 points to 12,126.22, the FBM 70 advanced 76.59 points to 14,730.75, the FBM Ace increased 62.28 points to 6,158.12 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index improved 35.81 points to 12,848.06.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index shot up 231.3 points to 16,008.58, the Plantation Index rose 23.72 points to 8,027.27, but the Industrial Index slipped 1.86 points to 3,209.56.
Main Market turnover expanded to 2.27 million units worth RM2.51 billion, from 1.77 million units valued at RM2.12 billion registered on Thursday.
Volume on the ACE Market decreased to 562.9 million shares worth RM108.4 million, from Thursday’s 667.29 million shares valued at RM95.46 million.
Warrants widened to 267.63 million units worth RM30.69 million, from 200.31 million units valued at RM23.92 million.
Consumer products accounted for 148.67 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (505.82 million), construction (89.54 million), trade and services (760.82 million), technology (138.47 million), infrastructure (4.34 million), SPAC (1.94), finance (125.61 million), hotels (1.59 million), properties (459.1 million), plantations (26.47 million), mining (8,100), REITs (8.69 million) and closed/fund (20,400).
For further information on stocks and prices, please visit www.bursamalaysia.com.