KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) and George Kent closed higher on Friday after they were picked as project-delivery partner for the RM9bil light rail transit three (LRT 3) project.
They bucked the weaker overall market which was affected by external events, including the closely watched US jobs data.
The FBM KLCI closed down 13.59 points or 0.85% to 1,589.16. Turnover was 1.84 billion shares valued at RM1.58bil. Decliners beat advancers 452 to 324 while 298 counters were unchanged.
The ringgit continued to weaken against the US dollar to 4.2600 at 5pm from RM4.2485 while its was at 6.4951 to the pound sterling compared with 6.4809 the previous day. Against the Singapore dollar, it was quoted at 3.0082 from 2.9999.
Reuters reported world shares slid towards their fourth weekly loss in the last five on Friday, as a boost from a supportive-sounding European Central Bank gave way to caution ahead of the US jobs data.
Asia's ongoing strains remained close to surface despite hard-hit Chinese markets being closed for a second day. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan chalked up its worst weekly losing streak since 2011 as it ended the latest one down more that 4%, according to the wire report.
US stock index futures fell on Friday ahead of the August jobs report that is expected to feature in the Federal Reserve's decision to raise interest rates for the first time since 2006.
At Bursa Malaysia, CIMB fell 20 sen to RM4.75 and erased 2.93 points from the KLCI. Maybank fell 10 sen to RM8.37 while AmBank and RHB Cap shed 10 sen each to RM4.30 and RM6.06 and Public Bank was down sox sen to RM17.68.
However, George Kent rose 21 sen to RM1.39 and MRCB gained 15 sen to RM1.
US light crude oil fell 26 cents to US$46.49 and Brent was down 16 cents to US$50.52. Petronas Dagangan added 46 sen to RM21.46 on fund buying while Petronas Gas lost eight sen to RM21.32 and Petronas Chemicals two sen to RM6.01. SK Petro shed two sen to RM1.75.
Tenaga fell 12 sen to RM11.08. Genting Bhd
lost 24 sen to RM6.91 and Genting Malaysia 13 sen lower at RM4.06.
Crude palm oil for third month delivery rose RM1 to RM2,033 per tonne. Batu Kawan fell 30 sen to RM17.50, Genting Plantations warrants lost 27 sen to RM1.89, Sime Darby nine sen to RM7.55, KL Kepong two sen to RM20.92 but PPB Group added four sen to RM15.22.
Top Glove lost 27 sen to RM7.76 but Kossan added 13 sen to RM7.28.
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