KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia erased early gains to end slightly lower on Wednesday, as profit-taking emerged in selected heavyweight counters mainly in financial services and utilities sectors. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 4.70 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,683.42 from Tuesday’s close of 1,688.12. The benchmark index opened 3.30 points higher at 1,691.42 and moved between 1,680.46 and 1,695.68 throughout the day. However, in the broader market, gainers outpaced losers 615 to 455, while 566 counters were unchanged, 1,057 untraded and 13 suspended. Turnover increased to 3.33 billion units worth RM3.02 billion from Tuesday’s 2.85 billion units worth RM2.67 billion.
Singapore equities saw selective strength on April 15, with gains led by industrial and telecom names, while REITs and banks dominated trading activity, reflecting a balanced but cautious market tone.
STI Movers: Industrials and Telcos Outperform
The FTSE Straits Times Index saw mixed performance across constituents.
Top gainers included:
- Sembcorp Industries +3.05% (top gainer)
- Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust +1.46%
- Singtel +1.44%
- Jardine Matheson+1.30%
The strength highlights investor preference for defensive and yield-linked sectors.
On the downside:
- Keppel -1.40% (top loser)
- Thai Beverage -1.16%
- SATs -0.84%
REITs Show Mixed but Active Trading
In the REIT sector:
- Landmark REIT surged +16.67%, leading gainers
- Acrophyte Hospitality Trust +2.04%
- Elite UK REIT -3.28% (top loser)
The wide dispersion suggests stock-specific catalysts rather than sector-wide trends.
Trading Activity Concentrated in Banks
Liquidity remained strong in financials:
- DBS Group was the most actively traded stock, with S$233.25 million turnover (+0.17%)
- Singtel and OCBC Bank also saw strong volumes
- UOB traded actively, albeit slightly lower
This reflects continued institutional interest in large-cap financials.
Market Positioning Remains Balanced
The combination of:
- Industrial and telco strength
- Active bank trading
- Mixed REIT performance
suggests a neutral-to-cautious market stance, with investors selectively positioning amid ongoing macro uncertainties.
Investor Takeaways
- Sembcorp led STI gains, signaling strength in industrial and energy-linked names.
- Banks remain the most actively traded, highlighting liquidity concentration in large caps.
- REITs showed mixed performance, driven by stock-specific factors.
- Defensive sectors like telcos and REITs continue to attract interest.
- Market sentiment remains balanced amid global uncertainty.
Comments
Post a Comment