The benchmark index, FBM KLCI, rallied moderately in today’s early session before retreating to 1,634.91, losing 0.71 points, or 0.04%, as investors resorted to profit-taking near the end of the trading day.
Throughout the day, the benchmark index moved between the high of 1,642.29 and the low of 1,624.91.
At opening, the stock market moved up to 1,637.66, rising 2.04 points from the 1635-level closing yesterday, and traded higher to breach the 1640-level, arriving at the intraday high of 1,642.29.
Unsurprisingly, Malaysian Pacific Industries was the top gainer for the day, adding 40 sen, or 1.54%, to settle at RM26.42 given the bright outlook of the semiconductor sector due to global repositioning of electronic manufacturers year-end market boost in the West.
At closing, Bursa’s Energy Index and Industrial Products and Services Index trimmed more than 1.3% to settle at 884.06 and 175.28, respectively.
Energy-related stocks ended mixed. National electricity provider Tenaga Nasional rose 24 sen, or 1.69%, to end the day at RM14.42, ranking second in top gainers list. Energy and petrochemical stock, Hengyuan Refining company lost 25 sen, or 8.80%, to settle at RM2.59, coincidentally the second biggest decliners on the list.
Industrial counters, Petronas Chemicals shed 20 sen, or 2.71%, to settle at RM5.60 and Press Metal Aluminium lost 19 sen, or 3.74%, to close at RM4.88.
Property-centered indices, Construction Index added 1.9% to settle at 284.91, while Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) rose 1.33% to end at 868.75, owing partially to Sunway Construction Group’s 22 sen gain that pushed its share up to RM4.54.
Overall, decliners led gainers 566 to 548, with 494 counters unchanged, 816 untraded and 20 suspended.
The daily volume fell to 3.22 billion1 shares and valued at RM2.47 billion2from Tuesday’s 3.25 billion units valued at RM2.67 billion.
