Bursa falls at midday as FBM KLCI loses 15.36 points
Losing counters outnumbered gainers 583 to 305, while turnover reached RM1.18 billion.
Malaysia’s benchmark share index dropped 15.36 points to 1,635.81 at 12.30 pm on Oct 1 as selling pressure weighed on Bursa Malaysia. The decline came against mixed performances in global markets and rising United States (US) Treasury yields.
The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) had ended Wednesday at 1,651.17. It started trading at 1,649.87, down 1.30 points, and touched a morning low of 1,634.39. Market turnover totalled RM1.18 billion on volume of 1.65 billion shares.
Across the exchange, 583 counters declined and 305 advanced. Another 464 were unchanged, while 1,421 were not traded and 12 were suspended.
Apex Securities Bhd said stronger-than-expected US private-sector hiring also hurt sentiment. Hiring increased by 90,000 in September, countering relief over softer core Personal Consumption Expenditures inflation. The brokerage expects cautious trading before the US jobs report and said a sustained recovery would depend on lower US bond yields and progress in US-Iran negotiations.
Among heavyweight stocks, IHH Healthcare lost 19 sen, ending at RM7.64. Maybank closed at RM9.93 and Tenaga Nasional at RM12.90 after each dropped six sen. Public Bank finished four sen lower at RM4.66, while CIMB declined five sen to RM7.74.
Malaysian Pacific Industries gained RM1.26, reaching RM41.66. Kuala Lumpur Kepong recorded the largest decline, losing 76 sen to finish at RM21.44. ACE Market newcomer GB Bond fell 2.5 sen, trading at 22.5 sen.
