FBM KLCI slightly lower at midday

KUALA LUMPUR: The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended the morning session slightly lower today, weighed by cautious sentiment amid mixed signals from Wall Street's overnight performance.
At 12.30 pm, the FBM KLCI fell 3.55 points to 1,578.84 from Tuesday's close of 1,582.39.
The benchmark index, which opened 0.84 of a point higher at 1,583.23, moved between 1,573.44 and 1,583.67 throughout the session.
However, the broader market was positive, with 489 gainers surpassing 401 decliners; 470 counters were unchanged, 1,035 untraded and seven suspended.
Turnover stood at 2.43 billion shares worth RM1.42 billion.
ActivTrades trader Anderson Alves said Asian equities were likely to be under pressure today as the broad risk-off environment is expected to spread across Asian markets today.
Among heavyweights, Maybank rose four sen to RM10.24, Tenaga Nasional eased four sen to RM14.30, Public Bank added one sen to RM4.51, CIMB decreased eight sen to RM7.23 and IHH Healthcare gained one sen to RM7.06.
In active trade, Nationgate strengthened 11 sen to RM1.74, Tanco added one sen to 94.5 sen, Notion bagged four sen to 73.5 sen, Velesto gained half sen to 16.5 sen and Genetec increased eight sen to RM1.12.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index slipped 6.78 points to 11,790.12, the FBMT 100 Index dropped 14.58 points to 11,546.07, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index went down 0.69 of-a-point to 11,713.17.
The FBM 70 Index gained 24.08 points to 16,785.86 and the FBM ACE Index improved by 19.31 points to 4,744.39.
Across sectors, the Financial Services Index eased 20.94 points to 18,554.98, the Industrial Products and Services Index was up 0.83 of-a-point to 159.40, the Energy Index bagged 13.15 points to 734.30 while the Plantation Index slid 19.11 points to 7,336.62.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

The Sun

14 hours ago

• The Sun

Rubber market ends lower following oil price drop

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian rubber market ended lower today in tandem with the downtrend in the regional rubber futures markets, a dealer said. She said the market was also dragged down by the fall in crude oil prices. 'Oil prices fell sharply in Asian trade on Friday, giving back some recent gains after the White House signalled that US President Donald Trump would only decide on entering the Iran-Israel war in two weeks,' she told Bernama. At the time of writing, Brent crude oil prices decreased 1.90 per cent to US$77.35 per barrel. Nevertheless, she said, further losses in rubber futures were capped by optimism about more Chinese stimulus and concerns over natural rubber supply due to weather uncertainties in Thailand. At 3 pm, the Malaysian Rubber Board reported that the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) declined by 6.5 sen to 703.5 sen per kilogramme (kg), while latex in bulk slipped by 0.5 sen to 589.0 sen per kg.

The Sun

14 hours ago

• The Sun

The VinFast VF 6 Passes the Wife Test with Room to Spare

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Media OutReach Newswire - 20 June 2025 - Women usually play an important role in family car-buying decisions, and the VinFast VF 6, recently launched in the Philippines, meets the key priorities of many women buyers. The old stereotype paints a familiar picture: men kick tires, debate horsepower, and make the final call on family cars. Reality tells a different story. According to CDK Global, women influence 85% of all car purchases. This insight means that women play an important, sometimes deciding, role in buying a car. It's essential for automakers to understand what women actually look for in a vehicle. The way women make decisions The numbers reveal how women approach car buying. Women spend more time researching their options. On average, they take 75 days to make a decision, compared to 63 days for men. This suggests that they usually do more thorough research to build knowledge prior to the purchase. Their priorities are also different from men's when shopping for cars. An survey of over 500,000 car inquiries showed that women focus on price, affordability, and practical features, while performance specs and brand prestige rank lower. The cars men wanted cost three times more on average than what satisfied women buyers. This kind of thinking reflects the many roles women juggle every day: caregivers, professionals, and budget managers, often all at once. A MasterCard study across 16 Asian countries found women managing household finances in half the markets surveyed. In Indonesia and the Philippines, over 56% of women control domestic spending decisions. A more recent survey by Women's World Car of the Year gave a further breakdown. Safety ranks as the single most important feature women seek. Practicality, performance, and space tie for second place. But safety isn't just about crash ratings. Women want backup cameras, blind spot monitoring, and multiple airbags. They value high seating positions for better visibility. Storage pockets, cupholders, and intuitive technology matter for daily convenience. Many also weigh emissions and fuel efficiency, choosing greener options when the situation allows. VinFast VF 6 ticks all the boxes The VinFast VF 6, a compact SUV recently launched in the Philippines, happens to tick all the boxes that matter most to women car buyers. It's a fully electric SUV in the popular B-segment, combining safety, practicality, and smart technology in a package built for real-world use. In the Philippines, the VF 6 is available in two trims: Eco and Plus, with MSRPs of 1,419,000 PHP and 1,610,000 PHP respectively. The 'Natural Opposites' design, created with Torino Design, balances function and form. But looks aren't the selling point. It's the way the VF 6 fits into everyday life. With a 2,730 mm wheelbase, the VF 6 remains compact enough for narrow city streets while offering interior space comparable to many larger gas-powered cars in the C-segment. Its 423-liter cargo capacity fits around 10 standard carry-on suitcases. Folding down the rear seats makes room for larger items such as bicycles or camping gear. Inside, the VF 6 features a 12.9-inch infotainment screen, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, and an 8-way power driver's seat. Voice commands operate smoothly. Utility modes cater to daily needs, including Pet Mode, which keeps the cabin cool for animals when the driver steps away. The 360-degree camera view also makes parking in tight spots easier. For safety, the VF 6 includes up to 8 airbags and offers up to 19 advanced driver assistance features in the Plus version. These include blind spot detection, rear parking assist, and 360-degree camera views, making driving easier for newer drivers. The VF 6's practicality extends to finances. Owners get free charging at V-GREEN operated stations until May 1st, 2027, which eliminates fuel costs entirely. The 7-year warranty and 90% buyback guarantee provide long-term security. Range anxiety disappears with up to 480 kilometers per charge, handling both daily commutes and weekend trips without compromise. 'Women hold up half the sky', so it's only natural that they should shape what families drive on the road. And the VF 6 happens to align perfectly with this shift toward practical buyers. In this era, automakers can't rely on dated assumptions. They need to meet people where they are, starting with the ones making the decisions. The VF 6 offers practical features, safety, and financial sense. That's what many buyers want, and that's how trust is earned.

The Sun

14 hours ago

• The Sun

Malaysian rubber prices fall amid oil slump, market fears

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian rubber market ended lower today in tandem with the downtrend in the regional rubber futures markets, a dealer said. She said the market was also dragged down by the fall in crude oil prices. 'Oil prices fell sharply in Asian trade on Friday, giving back some recent gains after the White House signalled that US President Donald Trump would only decide on entering the Iran-Israel war in two weeks,' she told Bernama. At the time of writing, Brent crude oil prices decreased 1.90 per cent to US$77.35 per barrel. Nevertheless, she said, further losses in rubber futures were capped by optimism about more Chinese stimulus and concerns over natural rubber supply due to weather uncertainties in Thailand. At 3 pm, the Malaysian Rubber Board reported that the price of Standard Malaysian Rubber 20 (SMR 20) declined by 6.5 sen to 703.5 sen per kilogramme (kg), while latex in bulk slipped by 0.5 sen to 589.0 sen per kg.