Bursa Malaysia lower at midday on cautious sentiment

New Straits Times

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia remained lower at midday on Wednesday, as investors stayed cautious while digesting key United States economic data amid mixed regional sentiment.
At 12.30 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) slipped 5.21 points to 1,518.61, from Tuesday's close of 1,523.82.
The benchmark index opened 0.28 of a point higher at 1,524.10 and moved between 1,516.96 and 1,524.10 throughout the morning session.
Market breadth was negative, with 538 decliners outpacing 231 gainers. Another 479 counters were unchanged, 1,283 untraded and 90 suspended.
Turnover stood at 1.55 billion securities worth RM939.65 million.
In a note today, Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd said market sentiment is likely to remain cautious in the near term, with the FBM KLCI expected to trade within the 1,510 to 1,550 range this week.
"However, downside risk may be cushioned by the unveiling of the 13th Malaysia Plan on July 31. The strategic framework, which charts Malaysia's economic direction from 2026 to 2030, will be critical as the nation navigates an increasingly complex and competitive global landscape," it said.
Regionally, Bursa Malaysia mirrored the uneven tone across Asian markets. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slipped 0.43 per cent to 25,415.94, while Singapore's Straits Times Index edged down 0.36 per cent to 4,214.08. Japan's Nikkei 225 eked out a 0.05 per cent gain to close at 40,696.47, and South Korea's Kospi climbed 1.10 per cent to 3,265.96.
Among the heavyweights, Maybank lost six sen to RM9.46, Tenaga Nasional fell eight sen to RM13.24, CIMB slipped nine sen to RM6.55, while IHH Healthcare edged up one sen to RM6.61. Public Bank was flat at RM4.21.
In active trade, NexG was unchanged at 53 sen, Pharmaniaga fell two sen to 16 sen, SFP Tech eased 2.5 sen to 16 sen, Tanco declined nine sen to 83.5 sen, and Harvest Miracle Capital dipped half a sen to 17 sen.
Top gainers included Chin Teck Plantations, which rose 28 sen to RM9.77, Ireka Corporation, up 21.5 sen to 28.5 sen, and Kuala Lumpur Kepong, which added 20 sen to RM19.72.
Among the top losers, Allianz Malaysia and Fraser and Neave both declined 30 sen to RM17.40 and RM28.60, respectively.
Across the broader market, the FBM Emas Index shed 40.03 points to 11,400.10, the FBMT 100 Index eased 37.78 points to 11,163.75, and the FBM ACE Index lost 51.41 points to 4,575.21.
The FBM Emas Shariah Index dropped 23.67 points to 11,454.42, and the FBM 70 Index slid 53.39 points to 16,474.82.
By sector, the Industrial Products and Services Index was up 0.83 of a point at 160.21, and the Plantation Index rose 12.73 points to 7,407.76. Meanwhile, the Financial Services Index declined 98.60 points to 17,210.74, and the Energy Index fell 2.53 points to 741.19.
Separately, trading in the securities of Alpha Ocean Resources Bhd was halted at 11.39 am and is scheduled to resume at 2.30 pm.