The stock market movement remained stuck in negative territory throughout the trading week, ending Aug 21 on a cautious note as losers outpaced gainers 637 to 578.
Another 571 counters were unchanged, while 1,086 were untraded and 47 suspended, reflecting subdued sentiment across the broader market.
Among the biggest decliners, Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd fell RM2.10 to RM43.20, while Nestlé (M) Bhd slipped RM1 to RM103.80. Kelington Group Bhd declined 39 sen to RM8.61, Telekom Malaysia Bhd lost 33 sen to RM7.77 and Sunway Construction Group Bhd eased 25 sen to RM7.90.
On the upside, PPB Group Bhd led gainers with a 38 sen rise to RM10.28, followed by Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd, which added 30 sen to RM26.50.
Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd gained 29 sen to RM5.56, United Plantations Bhd advanced 28 sen to RM32.16, while YTL Power International Bhd climbed 24 sen to RM5.40.
Trading activity also softened, with turnover falling to 3.91 billion shares worth RM3.32 billion, compared to 4.28 billion shares valued at RM4.01 billion on Aug 20.
The weaker close capped a trading week in which the market remained in negative territory throughout, underscoring persistent caution among investors despite selective buying in several heavyweight counters.
