Kuala Lumpur: Bursa Malaysia’s benchmark index closed nearly flat on Monday, settling just below the 1,500-mark as investors weighed global uncertainties against signs of domestic stability, according to an analyst. At the close of trading, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) inched up 0.07 of a point to 1,499.47, slightly up from Friday’s closing of 1,499.40.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the trading session opened with the index rising by 2.68 points, reaching an intraday high of 1,502.08, before hitting a low of 1,494.27 in the early afternoon. The broader market saw decliners outnumber gainers 512 to 308, with 463 counters remaining unchanged, 1,142 untraded, and 39 others suspended. Turnover decreased to 1.53 billion units valued at RM1.19 billion from Friday’s 1.69 billion units valued at RM1.24 billion.
UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors Sdn Bhd’s head of investment research, Mohd Sedek Jantan, commented that the subdued market activity was a natural pause after the previous week’s 3.0 percent rebound. He noted that the moderation might be temporary as markets adjust to recent gains while awaiting further developments. He pointed out that caution surrounding the evolving tariff agenda of the US President Donald Trump administration influenced market sentiment.
Mohd Sedek highlighted ongoing high-level discussions with Japan and Indonesia, and upcoming negotiations with South Korea and Malaysia, scheduled for April 24, as signs of significant diplomatic engagement. He mentioned that while a definitive tariff framework is yet to be established, these talks could lead to more stable trade dynamics. Constructive progress in bilateral agreements may alleviate investor concerns and provide direction for export-dependent sectors.
Among Bursa Malaysia’s heavyweights, Public Bank saw a rise of one sen to RM4.40, Hong Leong Bank increased by 14 sen to RM19.98, and CelcomDigi advanced eight sen to RM3.67. In contrast, Maybank declined by four sen to RM9.98, while Tenaga Nasional and CIMB both eased by two sen to RM13.48 and RM6.86, respectively.
Active stocks included NexG, which increased by 2.5 sen to 34.5 sen, and Magma, which rose by 7.5 sen to 37 sen. Peterlabs gained 4.5 sen to 29.5 sen, while Ingenieur Gudang and MY E.G. remained flat at four sen and 91 sen, respectively. Tanco and Velesto both dipped by one sen to 88 sen and 15 sen, respectively.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index decreased by 26.11 points to 11,095.39, and the FBMT 100 Index shed 19.02 points to 10,885.71. The FBM Emas Shariah Index went down by 25.06 points to 10,885.07, the FBM 70 Index lost 105.39 points to 15,508.24, and the FBM ACE Index declined by 9.18 points to 4,566.20.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index fell by 24.37 points to 18,009.15, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down 1.05 points to 144.03, the Energy Index slipped 5.86 points to 660.01, and the Plantation Index decreased by 15.25 points to 7,211.13.
The Main Market volume decreased to 1.08 billion units worth RM1.09 billion against Friday’s 1.22 billion units worth RM1.14 billion. Warrants turnover declined to 155.08 million units valued at RM96.06 million from 173.07 million units valued at RM96.45 million previously. The ACE Market volume rose to 301.51 million units worth RM91.09 million compared to 295.24 million units worth RM94.17 million last Friday.
Consumer products and services counters accounted for 176.74 million shares traded on the Main Market, while industrial products and services saw 221.82 million shares change hands. Construction recorded 91.41 million shares, technology 165.67 million, financial services 43.91 million, and property 131.81 million shares traded.