KUALA LUMPUR (April 14): Bursa Malaysia reversed its earlier gains to close the morning trading session lower amidst mixed regional performance, with selling mostly seen among the heavyweights, led by Public Bank Bhd.

At lunch break, the FBM KLCI was 1.9 points easier at 1,595.81, compared with Tuesday’s close of 1,597.71.

The index, which opened 2.48 points higher at 1,600.19, moved between 1,594.81 and 1,601.37 throughout the session.

Public Bank dragged the composite index down by 1.1 points after falling three sen to RM4.20, with 3.66 million shares changing hands.

Genting Bhd was the biggest loser among the 30-index constituents, falling by 1.17% to RM5.07, while Hap Seng Consolidated Bhd was the biggest gainer, rising by 1.04% to RM8.24. 

In a note today, Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said the local bourse might continue to trade sideways on a negative-bias mode, given the lack of fresh catalyst.

“The key index may trade sideways, and should it climb above the 1,600 level, the resistances are pegged along 1,615 and 1,635, while the support level is set at 1,575,” it said. 

On the broader market, losers edged past gainers at 489 versus 433, while 862 counters were unchanged, 395 untraded and 10 others suspended.

Total volume stood at 3.49 billion shares worth RM1.56 billion.

Of the heavyweights, Malayan Banking Bhd and IHH Healthcare Bhd slipped one sen each to RM8.31 and RM5.38, respectively, Public Bank eased three sen to RM4.20, while Tenaga Nasional Bhd lost four sen to RM10.16.

Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd added two sen to RM7.90, CIMB Group Bhd perked up three sen to RM4.26, and Top Glove Corp Bhd gained four sen to RM5.12.

Among the active counters, Minda Global Bhd slipped one sen to 16.5 sen, Lambo Group Bhd and Dagang NeXchange Bhd inched up half-a-sen each to 2.5 sen and 82.5 sen, respectively, while Dataprep Holdings Bhd earned 29.5 sen to RM1.05.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index was 5.6 points lower at 11,810.16, and the FBMT 100 decreased 9.79 points to 11,458.09.

The FBM Emas Shariah gained 3.39 points to 13,171.41, the FBM 70 picked up 1.37 points to 15,778.54 and the FBM ACE advanced 99.74 points to 9,548.61.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index added 0.87 of-a-point to 194.63, the Plantation Index shed 5.69 points to 6,938.33, while the Financial Services Index fell 49.23 points to 15,108.35.