However, the broader market was mixed despite a late push of KLCI stocks by local funds while the ringgit weakened against most currencies except the pound sterling.
At 5pm, the KLCI was up 6.1 points or 0.37% to 1,637.19. Turnover was 1.84 billion shares valued at RM1.94bil. There were 403 gainers, 390 losers and 355 counters unchanged.
Among the main currencies, the ringgit fell against the US dollar to 4.0780 from 4.0765 the previous day, it was weaker against the Singapore dollar at 2.9662 from 2.9621 and slipped against the euro to 4.5616 from 4.5588. However, it performed better against the pound sterling to 5.9739 from 5.9901.
Oil futures fell below US$49 on Friday, easing from a seven-month high hit this week, with analysts predicting range-bound markets for the next few months as supply outages slowly help to clear a global glut of crude, Reuters reported.
Prices also came under pressure from a strong US dollar, buoyed by generally positive US economic data amid growing expectations of a near-term increase in interest rates. US light crude oil fell 59 cents to US$48.89 and Brent slipped 79 cents to US$48.80.
At Bursa Malaysia, Petronas Chemicals was the biggest mover on Bursa Malaysia, it rose eight sen to RM6.64 and pushed the KLCI up 1.09 points. Petronas Gas gained 20 sen to RM21.80, Petronas Dagangan six sen higher at RM23.70 while SK Petro shed two sen to RM1.59.
Among the banks, AmBank rose 21 cents to RM4.40, rebounding from Thursday after it announced a dividend of 10.5 sen a share despite the slump in its earnings for the financial year ended March 31, 2016.
Maybank fell 10 sen to RM8.27 and erased 1.67 points from the KLCI. It posted lower earnings of RM1.426bil in the first quarter ended March 31, 2016 on more provisioning for some corporate banking and business banking account
Public Bank, CIMB and Hong Leong Bank were flat at RM19.14, RM4.37 and RM13.40 while RHB Cap shed one sen to RM6.17.
AirAsia rose 28 sen to RM2.40 with 91.77 million shares done, making it the most active counter. AirAsia call warrants C33 added 6.5 sen to 23.5 sen. AirAsia X
inched up 0.5 sen to 39.5 sen amd the warrants gained two sen to 29.5 sen.
Crude palm oil for third-month delivery fell RM14 to RM2,565 per tonne. PPB Group rose 26 sen to RM16.74, Ta Ann added 20 sen to RM4.07, IOI Corp and Sime Darby were flat at RM4.24 and RM7.48 while KL Kepong fell eight sen to RM23.08.
As for consumer stocks, BAT jumped RM1.74 to RM50.94, Dutch Lady 88 sen to RM56 and F&N 20 sen to RM23.80. However, Nestle lost 48 sen to RM75.52.
Old Town added 22 sen to RM1.66 after it was upgraded to a Buy by Maybank Investment Bank Research.
As for telcos, Axiata rose two sen to RM5.34, Digi rose three sen to RM4.44, Maxis seven sen to RM5.56 while Telekom was flat at RM6.69.
Among the key regional markets,
Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.37% to 16,834.84;
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.88% to 20,576.77;
CSI 300 shed 0.06% to 2,062.50;
Shanghai’s Composite Index dipped 0.05% to 2,821.05;
Shenzhen Composite lost 0.1% to 1,807.04;
Hang Seng China Enterprise advanced 0.81% to 8,595.28;
Taiwan’s Taiex added 0.83% to 8,463.61;
South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.62% to 1,969.17 and
Singapore’s Straits Times Index jumped 1.05% to 2,802.51.
Spot gold added US$1.25 to US$1,221.05.
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