Bursa Malaysia started trading today on a negative note, paring yesterday's gains due to profit-taking activity against selected heavyweights against a mixed Wall Street performance backdrop.
At 9am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was down 5.41 points at 1,502.30 from Thursday's close of 1,507.71.
The index opened 2.64 points lower at 1,505.07.
In the broader market, losers at 146 outpaced gainers at 110, while 195 counters were unchanged, 1,796 untraded and 9 suspended.
Total revenue at 151.70 million units worth RM45.21 million.
According to Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd, the mixed corporate earnings report caused the Wall Street index at the end of the trading session to be slightly weak in addition to the factor of the NFP employment data report that will be released today.
Even so, the firm predicts sentiment will continue to remain positive in today's trading session ahead of the local company's earnings report season.
Heavyweight stocks saw Malayan Banking Bhd, IHH Healthcare Bhd and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd fall 2 sen at RM8.88, RM6.44 and RM5.23, Public Bank Bhd lost 1 sen at RM4.64 while Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd remained at RM8 .86.
Active shares saw Euro Holdings Bhd up 3.5 sen at 19.5 sen, Unique Fire Holdings Bhd down 4.5 sen at 21.5 sen, CSH Alliance Bhd down 0.5 sen at 4.5 sen while TWL Holdings Bhd and MQ Technology Bhd remained at 6.5 sen and 3.5 sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Shariah index decreased by 37.5 points at 10,830.23, the FBMT 100 index decreased by 29.32 points at 10,414.52, the FBM Emas index decreased by 27.72 points at 10,666.56 and the FBM 70 decreased by 3.01 points at 12,801.26 while the FBM ACE increased by 2.31 points at 4,887.
In terms of sectors, the Financial Services index decreased by 11.96 points at 16,653.25, the Products and Services index decreased by 0.39 points at 185.58, the Energy index decreased by 2.29 points at 658.78 and the Plantation index weakened by 31.83 points at 7,052.16.
