KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia’s benchmark index closed lower today, in line with most regional markets, as investors adjusted their risk exposure amid spiralling oil prices driven by the ongoing West Asia conflict, now in its second month. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) retreated by 24.75 points or 1.44 per cent to 1,687.90 from Friday’s close of 1,712.65. The market bellwether opened 10.57 points weaker at 1,702.08 and fluctuated between 1,682.79 and 1,702.38. The broader market was bearish, with decliners thumping advancers 956 to 371. A total of 373 counters were unchanged, 1,042 untraded and 134 suspended. Turnover expanded to 3.98 billion units worth RM4.85 billion from last Friday’s 2.97 billion units worth RM3.25 billion.
KUALA LUMPUR (April 8): The FBM KLCI closed down 8.53 points or 0.62% at 1,361.39 today with global shares, as news on the higher global death toll at about 80,000 from the Covid-19 pandemic hit sentiment as investors weighed the economic impact from the outbreak.
Across Bursa Malaysia at 5pm, 5.36 billion shares worth RM2.67 billion were traded. There were 617 decliners versus 316 gainers across the exchange.
"Despite several stimulus packages [from our (Malaysian) government] to cushion the impact of Covid-19, traders are advised to deploy the sell into rally strategy for the near term as we believe the KLCI is facing a stiff resistance along 1,370-1,400,” Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd wrote in a note today.
Globally, it was reported that world stocks turned negative on Wednesday as the coronavirus death toll mounted and eurozone finance ministers failed to agree on a rescue package to help economies recover from the impact of the outbreak.
It was reported that Covid-19 hospitalisation seemed to be levelling off in New York State, but deaths across the US jumped by a record of more than 1,800.
"Meanwhile, France has officially registered more than 10,000 deaths from coronavirus infections, making it the fourth country to cross that threshold after Italy, Spain and the US. Mainland China's new coronavirus cases doubled in 24 hours as infected travellers returned home. After two sessions of gains, European equities fell amid renewed concern about the spread of the virus and the continent's response to it,” Reuters reported.
Across Bursa today, top decliners included KLCI stocks PPB Group Bhd, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd and Tenaga Nasional Bhd.
Most active was Ekovest Bhd after some 233 million shares were traded. Ekovest’s share price closed up 1.5 sen or 3.37% at 46 sen.
Source: The Edge

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