Malaysian stock exchange’s benchmark composite index at midday shed 3.4 points to 1,634.28 points, ending days of upward trading momentum that started last Monday.
On the last trading day of year 2024, the market volume was relatively limited with more than 500 declining counters registered at midday.
Throughout the half-day session, the key index moved within a narrow range of 5.58 points between 1,632.85 points and 1,638.43 points.
This morning, the key index opened 0.75 of a point higher to reach 1,638.43 points, up from Monday’s close of 1,637.68 points. As at 9:03am, the benchmark KLCI retreated marginally 0.39 of a point, down to 1,637.29 points. Towards late morning, the market sentiment took a negative turn, sending the index down by 2.37 points to 1,635.31 points as at 11:09am. At the conclusion of the half-day session at 12:30pm, the key index gave up more than three points to end below 1,635 points.
Most sectoral indices declined at midday. The Health Care Index recorded the biggest percentage drop, sliding 0.71% to 2,383.36 points, followed by the Construction Index which gave up 0.64% to 309.27 points, the Telecommunications & Media Index which slipped 0.63% to 541.23 points, and the Utilities Index which decreased marginally by 0.38% to end the midday session at 1,814.32 points.
The REIT index and the Plantation Index, on the other hand, moved up slightly by 0.26% and 0.23%, respectively.
Chin Teck Plantations Bhd advanced 33 sen, or 4.14%, to RM8.30 at midday on a moderate volume of 45,900 shares/units. The plantation stock at one point surged to the high of RM8.52 during the half-day session. United Plantations Bhd climbed 30 sen to RM31.30, after rallying to the high of RM31.54.
MUI Properties Bhd shed six sen, or 13.79%, down to RM0.375, while construction listing Gamuda Bhd slid four sen to RM4.74. At midday, MUI Properties was also the most actively traded stock recording a trading turnover of 47,005,600 shares/units.
Mobile service provider Celcomdigi Bhd (CDB) trimmed six sen, or 1.62%, to RM3.64, whereas Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) decreased 11 sen, or 1.62%, to RM6.69.
Glove manufacturer Supermax Corporation Bhd slid one sen to RM1.34, while Top Glove Corporation Bhd decreased two sen to RM1.35.
Utilities listing YTL Corporation Bhd gave up four sen to RM2.63.
Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd was the top gainer at midday which added 36 sen to RM30.58, recording a trading volume of 23 lots. (1 lot=100 shares) Meanwhile, foodstuff supplier Nestle (Malaysia) Bhd was the top decliner at midday, shedding 40 sen to RM99.58 on a turnover of 26 lots.
At midday, decliners outpaced gainers by 505 to 332, while 497 counters were unchange, 1,055 untraded.
The half-day exchange-wide volume stood at over 1.33 billion (1,331,865,900) shares/units valued at nearly RM822.1 million (RM822,069,564).
