Malaysian stock exchange’s benchmark KLCI today advanced 2.25 points to settle at 1,599.58 points, almost hitting the 1600-point threshold.
Market observers noted that the index at one point was pushed up by the surge of Tenaga Nasional Bhd and Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd to stay above the 1600-point threshold. However, due to selling pressure, the key index still ended today marginally below 1,600 points.
The more-than-two-point raise came after two days of decline where the key index lost a cumulative 11.42 points.
Throughout the trading day, the index moved within a range of 7.63 points, from 1,594.75 points to 1,602.38 points. In earlier half-day session, the index also moved within the 7.63-point range.
This morning, the key index opened unchanged at 1,597.33 points from Tuesday’s close. As at 9:21am, the key index fell 2.58 points to 1,594.75 points. Towards late morning, the index recovered slightly, narrowing the loss to 2.35 points to reach 1,599.68 points as at 10:23am. Towards midday, the benchmark KLCI picked up, advancing 3.71 points to conclude the half-day session above the 1600-point support level, at 1,601.04 points.
Sector-wise, the Health Care Index continued to rally to new highs towards market closing, rising 2.61% intraday to settle at 2,359.79 points. Earlier at midday, the health sector index was also the top gainer index advancing 1.56% to 2,335.58 owing to rally of glovemakers.
At closing, glove manufacturers ended higher with high trading turnovers. Hartalega Holdings Bhd surged 20 sen to RM4.03 (+5.00%) on a turnover of 12,096,100 shares/units. Supermax Corporation Bhd advanced 12 sen to close at RM1.22 (+11.00%) on a volume of 75,562,400 shares/units. Top Glove Corporation Bhd rose seven sen, closing at RM1.38 (+5.00%) on a turnover of 50,503,100 shares/units. Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd also added seven sen to settle at RM2.69 (+3.00%) on a volume of 9,088,100 shares/units. Lastly, Hextar Healthcare Bhd who had been unchanged at midday, traded up marginally by half of a sen to close at RM0.19 (+2.70%) on a turnover of 4,493,700 shares/units.
The Telecommunications & Media Index recorded the biggest sector decline of 0.57%, closing at 538.11 points, followed by the Technology Index which shed 0.44% to settle at 63.84 points and the Financial Services Index which slipped 0.21% to end the day at 18,896.19 points.
Handbag and footwear label Carlo Rino Group Bhd debuted today on the ACE market and was the most actively traded stock at midday and at closing. The shares of Carlo Rino traded down 4.5 sen to RM0.225 from its listing price of RM0.27 as at 12:30pm, recording a volume of 80,403,000 shares/units. At closing, Carlo Rino lost four sen intraday to close at RM0.23 on a volume of 139.38 million (139,378,900) shares/units. During the day, the stock price surged to the high of RM0.25 and dipped to the low of RM0.20.
Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd was the top gainer today, adding RM1.20 to close at RM99.00 on a relatively high volume of 102,500 shares/units.
Tenaga Nasional Bhd was midday gainer and managed to climbed to the third spot of the gainers’ list at closing. At midday, Tenaga added 22 sen to RM14.02 on a volume of 3,477,400 shares/units. Towards closing, Tenaga traded further up by six sen, advancing 28 sen intraday to settle at RM14.08 on a volume of 9,943,600 shares/units.
United Plantations Bhd registered the biggest gain during the midday session, rising 64 sen to RM33.04 on a volume of 296,900 shares/units. At closing, United Plantations surged further to rise 90 sen intraday, settling at RM33.30 on a volume of 635,800 shares/units, to become the second-ranking gainer on the top gainers’ chart.
Plantation firm Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, meanwhile, ended among top decliners. The stock gave up 16 sen to settle at RM21.44, recording a volume of 488,900 shares/units.
Gas station retailer Petronas Dagangan Bhd was the top decliner, shedding 30 sen to close at RM20.24 on a moderate volume of 58,600 shares/units.
On the broader market, decliners outnumbered gainers slightly by 501 to 480, while 562 counters were unchanged, 928 untraded and 10 suspended.
Exchange-wide turnover decreased to 2.55 billion (2,548,403,200) shares/units valued at RM2.29 billion (RM2,285,891,593), from 3.00 billion (2,992,971,600) shares/units valued at nearly RM2.44 billion (RM2,437,562,902).
