Kuala lumpur: Bursa Malaysia ended lower on Monday, with the benchmark index retreating by 0.86 per cent due to concerns over escalating tensions in West Asia. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 14.67 points to 1,680.83 from Friday's close of 1,695.50. The FBM KLCI had opened 1.18 points lower at 1,694.32 and moved between 1,677.78 and 1,697.88 during the day.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, in the broader market, losers outnumbered gainers 660 to 361 at the close, while 511 counters were unchanged, 1,115 untraded and 10 suspended. Turnover shrank to 2.86 billion units worth RM2.72 billion from Friday's 3.38 billion units worth RM2.95 billion.
Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research, Thong Pak Leng, stated that the FBM KLCI fell to its 1,680 key support level, indicating weakening near-term sentiment as selling pressure persists. He mentioned that market participation remained subdued, with investors adopting a defensive stance and rotating into selective commodity-linked and resilient sectors, while broader market breadth stayed weak.
Thong further noted that the lack of strong foreign inflows continues to cap any meaningful recovery, leaving the benchmark index vulnerable to further downside should external conditions deteriorate. Volatility is expected to remain elevated, with movements largely dictated by developments in the West Asia conflict and fluctuations in crude oil prices.
At the time of writing, Brent crude eased 1.53 per cent to US$107.36 per barrel. Meanwhile, IPPFA Sdn Bhd director of investment strategy and country economist Mohd Sedek Jantan emphasized the risk of disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global oil supply, where any prolonged blockage could trigger a sustained energy shock.
Among the heavyweights, MISC jumped 17 sen to RM8.42, SD Guthrie was flat at RM6.20, while CIMB, Maybank, and Tenaga Nasional saw declines. On the most active list, VS Industry and Velesto made slight gains, whereas Top Glove and Supermax faced losses. Notably, among the top gainers, Fraser and Neave firmed, while Kuala Lumpur Kepong led the top losers.
The index board reflected declines across various indices, with the FBM Top 100 Index, FBM Emas Index, and others experiencing reductions. By sector, the Financial Services Index, Plantation Index, and others saw contractions. The Main Market volume, Warrants turnover, and the ACE Market volume all recorded declines from previous levels.