At 9.13am, the key FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI was down 12.81 points to 1,590.93 after opening 3.8 points lower at 1,599.94. — Picture by Hari Anggara
KUALA LUMPUR, May 23 ― Bursa Malaysia opened lower weighed by the ongoing external market uncertainties. At 9.13am, the key FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI was down 12.81 points to 1,590.93 after opening 3.8 points lower at 1,599.94. Losers outpaced gainers 299 to 72, with 160 counters unchanged, 1,366 untraded and 23 others suspended.A dealer said while there have been bouts of support on the index-linked stocks, the support has been flimsy while thin market interest amid ongoing external market uncertainties would lessen support and send most stocks lower.“Therefore, the weakness on the FBM KLCI is likely to persist that could see the key index breach the 1,600 support to the 1,595 and 1,593 levels.
Among heavyweights, Maybank lost nine sen to RM8.90, Public Bank eased four sen to RM22.40, and Petronas Chemicals fell 44 sen to RM8.38.Of the actively-traded stocks, Barakah lost two sen to five sen, Bumi Armada and Sapura Energy slipped half-a-sen each to 18.5 sen and 30.5 sen respectively, and Velesto Energy declined 2.5 sen to 26 sen.The FBM Emas Index was down 85.09 points to 11,170.22, the FBMT 100 Index decreased 84.2 points to 11,014.42 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index fell 116.