KUALA LUMPUR (April 5): Bursa Malaysia traded in a tight range on Friday as investors exercised caution amid the negative performance across the region, said an analyst.

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) added 2.01 points, or 0.12%, to 1,555.25 from Thursday’s close of 1,553.24. 

The benchmark index opened 2.17 points lower at 1,551.07 and moved between 1,547.96 and 1,555.97 throughout the trading session.

On the broader market, decliners led gainers 563 to 482, with 493 counters unchanged, 782 untraded and nine others suspended.

Turnover increased to 4.04 billion units worth RM2.68 billion compared with 3.36 billion units valued at RM2.68 billion on Thursday.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice president Thong Pak Leng said the regional markets were also impacted by the negative cue from Wall Street overnight as hawkish signals from the US Federal Reserve, especially ahead of key payrolls data, have spurred more uncertainty over US interest rate cuts.

Additionally, he said worsening geopolitical conflict in the Middle East also hit on investor sentiment.

“As for the local bourse, we are cautiously optimistic given the improving sentiment on local equities. Nonetheless, global volatility will also play a major role in the direction of the market,” Thong said. 

Among the heavyweights, Maybank Bhd slipped five sen to RM9.64, Public Bank Bhd erased three sen to RM4.18, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd shed two sen to RM6.63, Tenaga Nasional Bhd was two sen higher at RM11.52, and Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd rose ten sen to RM6.85.

For the most active stocks, Velesto Energy Bhd shed 2.5 sen to 28 sen, Dagang NeXchange Bhd added half a sen to 36.5 sen, RGB International Bhd perked up two sen to 34 sen, and TDM Bhd eased half a sen to 32 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index put on 14.22 points to 11,708.18, the FBMT 100 Index climbed 16.55 points to 11,338.74 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index garnered 44.02 points to 11,866.1.

The FBM 70 Index gained 31.63 points to 16,332.07 but the FBM ACE Index fell 14.96 points to 4,981.59.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index was 56.35 points easier to 17,239.42, the Plantation Index jumped 53.6 points to 7,460.09, and the Industrial Products and Services Index rose 1.94 points to 185.06, while the Energy Index slid 13.23 points to 967.5.

The Main Market volume improved to 2.28 billion units valued at RM2.38 billion versus 2.21 billion units worth RM2.35 billion on Thursday.

Warrants turnover surged to 1.22 billion units worth RM137.15 million against 292.03 million units valued at RM28.75 million the previous day.  

The ACE Market volume declined to 611.65 million shares worth RM159.96 million from 848.78 million shares worth RM295.91 million previously.

Consumer products and services counters accounted for 311.77 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (367.15 million); construction (183.56 million); technology (157.95 million); SPAC (0.00 million); financial services (79.01 million); property (309.90 million); plantation (78.51 million); REITs (15.11 million); closed/fund (15,000); energy (525.03 million); healthcare (56.02 million); telecommunications and media (32.56 million); transportation and logistics (41.68 million); and utilities (45.01 million).