KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 11): Bursa Malaysia is set to repeat yesterday’s hot market with trading volume blazing past 25 billion shares at 4pm today, as the erratic market movement continued across the local bourse.

Profit-taking occurred among small cap counters with the FBM KLCI Small Cap Index down 0.58%. The FBM KLCI also fell 0.24%, as Public Bank Bhd, Genting stocks and glovemakers Top Glove Corp Bhd and Hartalega Holdings Bhd failed to support the index in the evening trade.

Across Bursa Malaysia, trading volume breached 25 billion shares, which was worth RM6.88 billion as at 4.11pm. Decliners led with 719 counters, while 455 counters rose whereas 350 counters traded unchanged.

Sector-wise, oil and gas stocks jumped today, with the Energy Index up 10% as Brent crude oil spot price rose above US$45 per barrel to its five-month high following a string of bullish news on global oil demand.

Sapura Energy Bhd shares jumped 45% or 4.5 sen to 14.5 sen, with trading volume hitting 3.7 billion, making it the most active counter so far.

Glove counters were mixed, with three of the top four glove makers rising except for Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd, while small-cap glovemakers largely traded in the red. Supermax Corp Bhd, which just posted record quarterly profit, led Bursa’s gainers with 70 sen or 3.3% to RM21.90.

Meanwhile, jewellery and gold-related counters plunged on profit-taking today, with international gold prices falling below the record US$2,000 mark per ounce — trading down 1.88% at US$1,989.80 per ounce. Tomei Consolidated Bhd led the decliners, trading down 45 sen or 29.03% at RM1.10.