Malaysian stock exchange’s benchmark composite index at closing surged by a massive 10.71 points to settle at 1,613.70 points, from Tuesday’s close of 1,602.99 points.
Throughout the trading day, the key index fluctuated within a range of 12.49 points, from 1,602.79 points to 1,615.28 points. Earlier, during the midday session, the key index moved within a 9.33-point range, from the same intraday low of 1,602.79 points to 1,612.12 points.
This morning, the benchmark index opened marginally higher by 0.59 of a point. As at 9:05am, the key index rose 0.70 of a point to 1,603.69 points. The index continued to edge up and added 3.99 points to 1,606.98 points as at 9:16am. Towards late morning, the index already gained 6.14 points as at 10:42am. The upward momentum largely persisted until midday, pushing the key index to rise nearly eight points to surpass the 1610-point mark.
Sector-wise, the Industrial Products & Services Index registered the biggest surge, adding 1.74% to close at 173.35 points, followed by the Property Index which rallied 1.39% to settle at 1,098.10 points, the Technology Index which increased 1.26% to end the day at 64.91 points, and lastly, the Transportation & Logistics Index which advanced 1.18%, settling at 1,050.06 points.
All other sectoral indices ended up higher at closing, rising between 0.18% (REIT) and 1.15% (Consumer Products & Services).
ACE market listing Zen Tech International Bhd was the most active counter both at midday and at closing, recording a total trading turnover of nearly 151 million (150,667,800) shares/units at the price of RM0.005 unchanged from Dec 24’s close. Though the counter traded up by half of a sen at midday.
Main board’s technology counter JCY International Bhd was the second most traded stock at closing with a turnover of 80,354,500 shares/units, adding 3.5 sen to settle at RM0.56, followed by SNS Network Technology Bhd, also a technology listing on the Main market, which registered 74,538,700 shares/units in trading volume, gaining ten sen to close at RM0.67.
ACE market’s auto and household fragrance producer Vanzo Holdings Bhd was ranked fourth on the most active list, recording a turnover of 62,193,800 shares/units, rising 2.5 sen to RM0.205. Vanzo, which listed on Dec 17, has accumulated a total increment of 5.5 sen, or 36.7%, in stock value.
Notably, United Plantations Bhd ended four consecutive days of decline, gaining 60 sen intraday to settle at RM30.60, marking a strong recovery from the four-day losses that amounted to RM3.30, or 10% of its close of RM33.30 recorded on Dec 18, the five-year high of the plantation stock.
Semiconductor manufacturer Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd (MPI) was the second-ranking gainer after United Plantations, adding 48 sen to settle at RM25.96. On Dec 17, MPI rallied to its 27-day high of RM26.40, and traded largely downward towards the holiday eve, to the low of RM25.48 on Dec 24. (27-day: 27 trading days)
Foodstuff supplier Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd was the top decliner which gave up 26 sen to settle at RM97.54. After touching the RM100.00-mark on Dec 13, the counter has been trading below RM100.
Meanwhile, property firm Ayer Holdings Bhd shed 25 sen to close at RM7.25.
Genting Bhd today advanced 15 sen, or 4.09%, to close at RM3.82 on a volume of 12,602,400 shares/units, while Genting Malaysia Bhd climbed five sen, or 2.28%, to settle at RM2.24 on a turnover of 28,135,100 shares/units.
Genting has gained a total of 7.30% in share value since its Dec 17 close of RM3.56. Genting Malaysia has accumulated a gain of 6.67% since Dec 17 when the stock settled at RM2.10.
On the broader market, gainers outnumbered decliners by a huge magnitude of 692 to 295, while 499 counters were unchanged, 936 untraded and 17 suspended.
The exchange-wide trading volume reached nearly 2.47 billion (2,467,249,700) shares/units valued at RM1.87 billion (RM1,865,169,181), up from over 2.01 billion (2,014,590,800) shares/units valued at more than RM1.54 billion (RM1,542,081,720) recorded on Tuesday.
