KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended at its intraday low on Thursday as investor sentiment remained cautious amid ongoing foreign outflows, although the recent weakness may present bargain-hunting opportunities in fundamentally sound blue-chip counters. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 9.33 points, or 0.54 per cent, to 1,708.36, from yesterday’s close of 1,717.69. The benchmark index, which opened 3.74 points higher at 1,721.43, hit an intraday high of 1,722.50 in early trade before losing momentum for the rest of the day. Market breadth was negative, with losers outpacing gainers 656 to 508, while 565 counters were unchanged, 989 untraded and 32 suspended. Turnover fell to 3.49 billion units worth RM3.70 billion compared with 4.15 billion units worth RM4.29 billion on Wednesday.
Japanese equities declined sharply on Thursday as rising oil prices and a hawkish Federal Reserve outlook dampened investor sentiment, highlighting growing concerns over inflation and global growth risks . Broad-Based Selloff Across Japanese Equities The Topix Index fell 2.1% to 3,640 , while the Nikkei 225 dropped 2.8% , reversing recent gains. Market breadth was notably weak, with over 1,500 stocks declining versus fewer than 50 gainers , reflecting a broad risk-off move. Heavyweights such as Mitsubishi Corp. led declines, while cyclical sectors including chemicals and industrials came under pressure. Oil Shock Drives Market Weakness The selloff was triggered by a surge in energy prices after renewed attacks on Middle East energy infrastructure . Brent crude surged above US$110 per barrel Heightened risks to global energy supply chains This has intensified fears of imported inflation , particularly for energ...