KUALA LUMPUR (April 1): Shares on Bursa Malaysia remained in negative territory at mid-afternoon as market sentiment was hampered by the less encouraging manufacturing data.

At 3.05pm, key index FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) dwindled 19.36 points, or 1.43%, to 1,331.53 from 1,350.89 at Tuesday’s close.

The key index opened 5.99 points lower at 1,344.90 at 9am.

On the broader market, gainers slightly outnumbered losers 411 to 410, while 342 counters were unchanged, 758 untraded and 19 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 3.74 billion shares worth RM1.80 billion.

In the latest data released today, IHS Markit said Malaysia’s headline Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell further to 48.4 in March 2020, from 48.5 in February 2020, signalling a further drop in momentum across the Malaysian goods-producing sector.

It said the survey's output index fell to its lowest level since June 2016 during March, signalling a sharp slowdown in manufacturing production in Malaysia. 

“According to firms, demand- and supply-side factors adversely impacted output volumes,” it said.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index shrank 95.46 points to 9,144.35, the FBM Emas Shariah Index dipped 126.47 points to 9,978.61 while the FBMT 100 Index inched down 100.75 points to 9,065.77.

The FBM Ace eased 10.06 points to 3,971.75 but the FBM 70 strengthened 12.14 points to 10,562.70.

Of the heavyweights, Maxis shrank 24 sen to RM5.11, Petronas Chemicals dropped 21 sen to RM4.84, Digi lost 18 sen to RM4.17, Maybank retreated nine sen to RM7.36 while Sime Darby Plantation was 14 sen lower at RM4.80.

The most actively traded counters were still dominated by oil and gas-linked stocks, which saw Velesto and KNM bag half-a-sen to 12 sen, while Sapura Energy, Armada and Alam Maritim Resources were unchanged at eight sen, 13.5 sen and five sen respectively.

Trive was flat at one sen.

Petronas Dagangan remained as the top loser, erasing 78 sen to RM20.38, Heineken dropped 76 sen to RM21.12, Carlsberg fell 58 sen to RM24.42, Nestle wiped out 40 sen to RM136.30 and Petronas Gas trimmed 38 sen to RM15.02.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down 2.13 points to 105.47, the Financial Services Index gave up 125.03 points to 12,145.64 and the Plantation Index was 106.79 points easier at 6,145.34.