FBM KLCI closes at new high of 1,843.85

KUALA LUMPUR: Share prices on Bursa Malaysia continued the bullish performance today, with the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) closing at a new high of 1,843.85, on follow-through buying amid foreign fund inflows.

The benchmark index which opened at 1,837.8, also posted a new all-time intra-day high of 1,846.92 at 3.24 pm, before ending 1.98 points higher, lifted too by gains in heavyweight counters.

Gainers edged losers 391 to 375, with 312 counters unchanged, 479 untraded and 19 others suspended.

Volume transacted rose to 1.398 billion shares worth RM2.012 billion, from 1.144 billion shares worth RM1.455 billion on Monday.

Inter-Pacific Research Sdn Bhd head of research, Pong Teng Siew said the market saw heavy capital inflows from foreign funds into the equity market, in buying up blue chips.

"The foreign investors are coming here to cover their investments in Thailand, which have been affected by political uncertainty," he told Bernama.

Pong said the market also saw a continuance of "window-dressing" activities by local funds. 

"We expect the market to continue this bullish trend at least until the second week of January next year, but feel it would find it difficult, to test the 1,900 points level towards year-end," he added.

On the scoreboard, the Plantation Index improved 18.17 points to 9,076.17 and the Finance Index rose 16.16 points to 16,891.94.

The Industrial Index lost 18.98 points to 3,107.52. The FBM Emas Index rose 9.25 points to 12,731.72, the FBMT100 Index increased 8.07 points to 12,464.01 and the FBM Ace bagged 20.03 points for 5,623.86. The FBM 70 declined 12.8 points to 14,163.53. 

Among actives, Sumatec Resources added one sen for 29.5 sen, Barakah Offshore Petroleum rose 10 sen to RM1.50, while AT Systematization fell one sen to 11 sen.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank perked five sen to RM10, while Tenaga Nasional and CIM were each flat at RM11.02 and RM7.70 respectively.

Volume on the Main Market increased to 1.051 billion units valued at RM1.924 billion from the 831.538 million units valued at RM1.387 billion recorded on Monday.

Turnover on the ACE market rose to 280.218 million shares worth RM67.722 million from 277.861 million shares worth RM59.76 million transacted yesterday.

Warrants improved to 43.396 million units valued at RM5.934 million from 28.345 million units valued at RM3.82 million registered previously.

Consumer products accounted for 48.3 million shares on the Main Market, industrial products 118.556 million, construction 45.969 million, trade and services 583.155 million, technology 39.99 million, infrastructure 20.059 million, SPAC 22.248 million, finance 47.704 million, hotels 768,400, properties 93.604 million, plantations 22.842 million, mining 11,600, REITs 8.304 million and closed/fund 40,000.