KLCI clings on to key 1,500 at end of volatile 2Q

On May 29, trading value surged to a record RM9.34bil as retail investors piled into the market.

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia capped the volatile second quarter on Tuesday on a positive note as the benchmark FBM KLCI managed to cling on to the crucial 1,500 level, aided by glove makers.

At 5pm, the KLCI was up 6.54 points or 0.44% to 1,500.97.Year-to-date, it is down 5.53%. Turnover was 5.35 billion shares valued at RM3.74bil. The broader market saw 554 gainers, 388 losers and 448 counters unchanged.

The KLCI had on June 9, managed to recover to hit a high of 1,575.16 to put it back in bull-market territory for a day, powered by retail buying of glove stocks as retail investors piled into the market amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

As at June 30, the total market capitalisation of the 30 stocks in the KLCI was RM970.79bil, according to Bloomberg data.

During the second quarter, Bursa's trading volume surged to a record high of 11.21 billion shares on May 18. Another record was also seen when trading value surged to RM9.34bil on May 29.

In Tuesday's trade, Hartalega rose 50 sen to RM13 and lift the KLCI by 2.61 points while Top Glove gained 40 sen to RM16.10 and add 1.66 points. Kossan added 29 sen to RM8.51, Supermax added 28 sen to RM8 while Rubberex added 15 sen to RM3.13.

Profit taking was seen in cheaper glove makers with Careplus down four sen to RM1.42 and Comfort Glove two sen to RM3.09.

Consumer stocks were among the top gainers with Nestle up RM1.10 to RM139.90, F&N and Ajinomoto 42 sen each to RM32.48 and RM17 while Ducth Lady added 30 sen to RM43.20.

Among the banks, Pubic Bank rose six sen to RM16.50, CIMB three sen to RM3.56, Hng Leong Bank was flat at RM14.08 while Maybank shed two sen to RM7.51. RHB Bank was four sen lower at RM4.79.

Crude palm oil for third month delivery fell RM39 to RM2,302 per tonne. Sime Plantation and IOI Corp shed three sen each to RM4.92 and RM4.34, KL Kepong was unchanged at RM22.20 but PPB Group gained 14 sen to RM17.78.

IHH Healthcare fell 10 sen to RM5.50 and erased 1.35 points from the KLCI after it posted losses due to its Indian hospital venture.

US light crude oil fell 51 cents or 1.28% to US$39.19 while Brent slipped 41 cents or 0.98% to US$41.30.

Petronas Gas lost 10 sen to RM16.88, Petronas Chemicals was unchanged at RM6.20 while Petronas Dagangan was flat at RM20.60. Dialog edged up one sen to RM3.61.

Tenaga rose six sen to RM11.62, Sime Darby four sen to RM2.15 while Hap Seng jumped 37 sen to RM8.80.

As for telcos, Maxis gained five sen to RM5.37, Digi gained four sen to RM4.31, Telekom rose three sen to RM4.15 but Axiata fell three sen to RM3.55.

The ringgit came under pressure in late trade, falling 0.04% to 4.2850 against the US dollar.