Bursa benchmark falls 0.32 per cent despite broader market gains
Advancing stocks outnumbered decliners 645 to 441 as buying interest returned to smaller technology counters.
Malaysia’s FBM KLCI finished at 1,616.56 on November 4, down 5.29 points or 0.32 per cent. Bernama reported that profit-taking in some banking and telecommunications heavyweights weighed on the benchmark, even as smaller technology stocks attracted buyers.
The index’s opening level of 1,623.31 was also its session high, before it touched 1,614.34 during mid-afternoon trading. Across the exchange, 645 counters advanced and 441 declined, with another 520 ending unchanged.
Trading volume increased to 2.81 billion units from 2.63 billion units in the preceding session. However, transaction value eased to RM2.57 billion from RM2.64 billion.
Banking shares were among the heavyweight decliners. Maybank finished at RM9.90 after losing 14 sen, while CIMB ended seven sen lower at RM6.91. Public Bank closed at RM4.77, down four sen. IHH Healthcare moved in the opposite direction, adding two sen to RM7.78.
MPI topped the gainers with a RM1.12 increase to RM40.62. Other technology counters also advanced: Vitrox ended at RM10.90 after gaining 48 sen, UWC added 32 sen to RM7.20 and Pentamaster rose 31 sen to RM5.58.
The broader indices reflected the stronger market breadth. A 192.35-point rise took the FBM Mid 70 Index to 17,511.25, while the FBM ACE Index reached 5,420.78 after adding 101.74 points. The Financial Services Index, however, declined 130.60 points to 18,586.31.
