Bursa Opens Mixed Amid Lacklustre Trade
KUALA LUMPUR: The market opened mixed amid lacklustre trade due to the shortened trading week and on caution ahead of the announcement of US reciprocal tariffs later today in the US, or early tomorrow morning Malaysian time.
The market was closed on March 31 and April 1 for the Hari Raya public holidays.
Market Performance
At 9.12am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) added 4.38 points to 1,518.03 from Friday’s close of 1,513.65. The benchmark index had opened 3.49 points higher at 1,517.14.
Decliners outpaced gainers 220 to 118 while 264 counters were unchanged, 1,749 untraded, and nine suspended.
Turnover stood at 122.0 million shares worth RM101.50 million.
Research Notes
Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said investors might shift their focus toward sectors less impacted by the reciprocal US tariffs, such as utilities as well as consumer products and services.
“Investors may also consider the upcoming initial public offering of Cuckoo International (MAL) Bhd, which has a strong brand presence nationwide and is currently expanding its product portfolio to capture a larger share of the Malaysian market,” it said in a research note today.
Heavyweight Stocks
Among the heavyweight stocks, Maybank gained 8 sen to RM10.2, Public Bank added 1 sen to RM4.43 and TNB jumped 12 sen to RM13.50. CIMB rose 2 sen to RM7.02 while IHH Healthcare dropped 5 sen to RM6.87.
Active Stocks
Among the actives, Velocity Capital bagged 1.5 sen to 10.5 sen, Bina Puri edged up 0.5 sen to 33 sen and Avangaad went up 1.0 sen to 29 sen. Ucrest and Borneo Oil were flat at 10 sen and 1.0 sen, respectively, while Elridge Energy eased 0.5 sen to 46 sen.
Index Performance
The FBM Emas index strengthened by 14.16 points to 11,362.20, the FBMT 100 index improved by 17.24 points to 11,120.36 and the FBM Emas Shariah index put on 3.25 points to 11,127.66.
The FBM 70 index slipped 33.59 points to 16,242.50, while the FBM ACE index fell 31.88 points to 4,777.04.
Sector Performance
Sector-wise, the financial services index garnered 67.51 points to 18,451.72, the industrial products and services index trimmed 0.63 of-a-point to 152.64 and the energy index dipped 2.39 points to 755.59.
The plantation index, however, widened 15.52 points to 7,453.25.
Conclusion
The market opened mixed amid lacklustre trade, with investors cautious ahead of the announcement of US reciprocal tariffs. The FBM KLCI added 4.38 points to 1,518.03, with decliners outpacing gainers 220 to 118. The market is expected to remain volatile in the coming days.
FAQs
What is the current market performance?
The market is opening mixed, with the FBM KLCI adding 4.38 points to 1,518.03.
What are the key sectors to watch?
The financial services index is garnering 67.51 points to 18,451.72, while the plantation index is widening 15.52 points to 7,453.25.
What is the market expectation?
The market is expected to remain volatile in the coming days, with investors cautious ahead of the announcement of US reciprocal tariffs.