KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia extended its losses today, weighed by persistent selling pressure in healthcare and telco counters.

       At closing, the FBM KLCI closed down 9.05 points, or 0.58% to 1,555.71, its lowest so far this year after moving between 1,567.59 and 1,554.15.

       The broader market weakened with declining stocks hammering advancers. There were 916 losers to 188 gainers while 374 counters were unchanged.

       A total of 5.2 billion shares worth RM3.02bil were traded.

       Of the 30 FBM KLCI counters, 18 closed lower while eight closed higher and four traded unchanged.

       The top gainer Bursa Malaysia was Kobay, which gained 16.31% or 38 sen to RM2.71, while the biggest loser was Nestle, which fell 0.37%, or 50 sen to RM133.50.

       Hartalega fell 33 sen to RM7.67, IHH Healthcare lost 11 sen to RM5.61 and Top Glove declined 10 sen to RM4.35.

       Axiata shed seven sen to RM3.87 and Digi fell five sen to RM4.30, Telekom Malaysia and Maxis declined two sen each to RM6.03 and RM4.50 respectively.

       CIMB and Hong Leong Bank rose 10 sen each to RM4.70 and RM18.80 respectively. RHB Bank added four sen to RM5.43.

       Serba Dinamik, the most active counter, fell 10.08%, or six sen to 53.5 sen.

       Meanwhile, the ringgit was 0.02% lower against the US dollar at 4.1630.

       Key Asian markets also closed broadly higher today. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was flat at 28,875.23, while South Korea’s Kospi closed up 9.91 points, or 0.30%, at 3,286.10.

       Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index ended 65.39 points or 0.23% higher at 28,882.46.

       China’s CSI300 index gained 0.2% at 5,155.97, while the Shanghai Composite Index was unchanged at 3,566.65.