At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) declined by 4.66 points or 0.32% to 1,424.89 from yesterday’s closing of 1,429.55.
The barometer index opened 1.77 points higher at 1,431.32, and moved in a downtrend mode to as low as 1,416.67 during the midday session.
Market breadth was negative as decliners thumped gainers 450 to 321, while 430 counters were unchanged, 1,015 untraded and 12 others suspended.
Turnover improved to 2.5 billion units worth RM1.54 billion from 2.33 billion units worth RM1.41 billion yesterday.
Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist and social finance head Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said the local bourse traded weaker today as market participants became increasingly anxious about the global outlook.
“While we might cheer if the Federal Reserve could pause its rate hike campaign, the heightened concerns over growth prospects could result in investors seeking shelter in risk-free assets such as bonds,” he told Bernama.
Among heavyweights, both Maybank and Public Bank fell 1 sen to RM8.65 and RM4.01, respectively, CIMB Bank eased 5 sen to RM5.26, Petronas Chemicals was flat at RM7.25, and TNB was down 1 sen to RM9.25.
As for the actives, Computer Forms added 1.5 sen to 24 sen, Classita gained 5.5 sen to 19.5 sen, Top Glove gained 1 sen to RM1.02, while Tanco trimmed 4.5 sen to 46 sen, and Vinvest shed half-a-sen to 20 sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index decreased 34.32 points to 10,455.14, the FBMT 100 Index shed 33 points to 10,140.55 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index slipped 29.39 points to 10,762.68.
The FBM 70 Index shaved off 43.64 points to 13,589.65 and the FBM ACE Index was 8.97 points lower at 5,328.21.
Sector-wise, the financial services index dropped 46.6 points to 15,745.95, the plantation index gave up 8.09 points to 6,723.60, and the energy index slid 7.52 points to 861.65, while the industrial products and services index rose 0.32 of-a-point to 173.08.
The Main Market volume widened to 1.78 billion units worth RM1.34 billion from 1.74 billion units worth RM1.22 billion on Wednesday.
Warrants turnover surged to 259.45 million units worth RM48.86 million against 81.67 million units worth RM9.2 million previously.
The ACE Market volume declined to 463.04 million shares worth RM147.98 million versus 501.76 million shares worth RM178.31 million yesterday.
Consumer products and services counters accounted for 330.68 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (602.33 million); construction (53.60 million); technology (161.71 million); SPAC (nil), financial services (41.86 million); property (202.51 million); plantation (24.10 million); REITs (5.5 million), closed/fund (2,000); energy (108.91 million); healthcare (161.12 million); telecommunications and media (31.77 million); transportation and logistics (26.60 million); and utilities (26.92 million).