KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Thursday as renewed geopolitical tensions in West Asia weighed on investor sentiment. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 5.97 points, or 0.36 per cent, to 1,677.64 from Wednesday's close of 1,683.61. The benchmark index opened 2.62 points lower at 1,680.99, and moved between 1,676.18 and 1,683.80 throughout the session. However, market breadth was slightly positive, with gainers leading losers 533 to 504, while 547 counters were unchanged, 1,112 untraded, and 12 suspended. Turnover slipped to 2.64 billion units valued at RM2.19 billion from 2.96 billion units valued at RM2.18 billion on Wednesday.
The FBM KLCI gained 0.5% or 8.7 points as Asian market pushed higher, led by the Japanese market.
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As at 5pm, the benchmark index closed at 1,661.25 points, as the Japanese led the Asian equity market rally on weaker yen as US interest rate hike expectation strengthened the US dollar.
The Finance Index increased 0.65% to 14,249.84 points, the Properties Index up 0.47% to 1,209.86 points and the Plantation Index rose 0.37% to 7,949.49 points. The market traded within a range of 8.00 points between an intra-day high of 1,666.02 and a low of 1,658.02 during the session.
Japan's Nikkei 225 climbed 0.83% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng edged higher by 0.45%. China markets are closed this week for the National Day holidays.
Asian shares shrugged off a sluggish start and pushed higher on Tuesday, with Japanese markets leading the way after an upbeat US manufacturing survey bolstered the dollar according to reports by Reuters.
The upbeat US factory numbers had a mixed impact on US shares overnight. While strong survey reassured investors worried about the strength of the US economy, it also encouraged bets that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates as early as this year. Higher rates, while good for the dollar, could pressure equities markets, it says.
Across Bursa Malaysia, 1.49 billion shares valued at RM1.94 billion were traded. A total of 408 counters ended higher while 398 fell. Trading volume decreased as compared to Friday’s 1.75 billion shares worth RM2.19 billion.
Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd was the top gainer while the biggest decliner was Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Bhd. Today's most-active counter was Borneo Oil Bhd.

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