KUALA LUMPUR – Bursa Malaysia recouped early losses to end the week higher today, in line with positive sentiment across regional stock markets on better global economic outlook, dealers said.
At the close, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 10.07 points to 1,593.75, after fluctuating between 1,579.49 and 1,599.49 throughout the day.
On the broader market, gainers led losers 690 to 504, while 446 counters were unchanged, 531 untraded and 28 others suspended.
Total volume decreased to 9.01 billion units worth RM5.16 billion from 9.53 billion units worth RM4.48 billion yesterday.
A dealer said most Asian bourses were on the uptrend today due to an improved global outlook and the region's relative success in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged investment.
He said the Philippine central bank’s decision to cut its interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.0% had fuelled gains in Manila, while new measures by the Bank of Thailand to stem gains for the baht saw little success.
Regionally, Japan’s Nikkei 225 dipped 0.42% to 25,527.37 while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.36% to 26,451.54.
On Bursa Malaysia, heavyweights Maybank rose 6.0 sen to RM8.16, Top Glove went up 35 sen to RM7.29, Petronas Chemicals advanced 3.0 sen to RM6.80, while Public Bank declined 8.0 sen to RM18.30 and TNB slipped 6.0 sen to RM11.18.
Among the actives, AT Systematization and VSolar earned half-a-sen each to 18.5 sen and 5.0 sen, respectively, while Advance Synergy and Southern Cable added 3.0 each to 18.5 sen and 36.5 sen, respectively.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index was 86.90 points higher at 11,463.88, the FBMT 100 Index improved 85.68 points to 11,246.88, the FBM Emas Shariah Index jumped 141.88 points to 13,221.77, and the FBM 70 surged 169.43 points to 14,734.77.
The FBM ACE climbed 12.85 points to 11,153.53, the Industrial Products and Services Index added 1.79 points to 160.18, the Plantation Index trimmed 4.51 points to 7,344.48, and the Financial Services Index gained 16.19 points to 14,023.32. – Bernama, November 20, 2020
