KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI closed Friday slightly higher on late fund buying of key stocks amid a cautious broader market while the ringgit slipped against some of the key currencies.
Underpinning the KLCI were Tenaga Nasional and Malayan Banking (Maybank).
At 5pm, the KLCI was up 1.24 points or 0.07% to 1,670.27 after a volatile session. Turnover was 1.48 billion shares valued at RM1.66bil. Decliners led advancers 428 to 335 and 387 counters unchanged.
The ringgit fell against the US dollar to 4.2000 from 4.1855 and weakened against the Singapore doillar to 3.0127 from 3.0067 and against the Euro it fell to 4.5809 from 4.5717. It firmed up against the pound sterling to 3.0127 from 3.0067.
Hong Kong shares slid to a two-month low on Friday, as sentiment was dampened by enhanced expectations the US Federal Reserve would raise interest rates by the year-end, Reuters reported.
The Hang Seng index fell 0.8%, to 22,954.81, while the China Enterprises Index lost 1%, to 9,515.32. For the week, both HSI and HSCE lost 1.8%.
Japan's Nikkei share average rose on Friday to a fresh six-month high as rising global bond yields helped financials, reflecting hopes of stepped up investments by financial institutions in overseas bonds amid Japan's low bond yield environment.
The Nikkei gained 0.6% to end at 17,446.41, the highest closing level since April 22. The broader Topix gained 0.8% to 1,392.41.
At Bursa, Tenaga rose 10 sen to RM14.42 and added 0.96 of a point to the KLCI after it posted record earning for the financial year ended Aug 31, 2016.
At Bursa Malaysia, Maybank rose four sen to RM783 and pushed the KLCI up 0.69 of a point, Public Bank gained eight sen to RM19.84, CIMB three sen to RM5.03 and RHB Bank edged up one sen to RM4.76, Ambank was flat at RM4.20 and Hong Leong Bank shed two sen to RM13.38.
Among the consumer stocks, BAT rose 48 sen to RM48.68, Ajinomoto and F&N added 18 sen each to RM13.70 and RM24.38. Dutch Lady
lost 20 sen to RM58.80.
Crude palm oil for third month delivery rose RM6 to RM2,792. Among the plantations, Kwantas rose 20 sen to RM1.49, Sime Darby added four sen to RM8.14, IOI Corp three sen to RM4.54 and PPB Group was flat at RM16.
KL Kepong lost 28 sen to RM23.92 after it hit a wall on its plant to buy UK's MP Evans.
Hong Leong Industries rose 35 sen to RM9.90, gaining strength over the past two weeks after a positive report from analysts about its expansion in Vietnam.
Gadang fell 37 sen to RM2.92 with 28.8 million shares done on strong profit taking after the rally in its share price.
Property counters Selangor Properties and Country View chalked up gains. Selangor Properties added 15 sen to RM4.84 and CountryView 13 sen to RM1.61.
Kinsteel which was designated a PN17 company saw its share price tumble by 2.5 sen to three sen.
US light crude oil fell 18 cents to US$49.54 and Brent was down 10 cents to US$50.37.
Penny oil and gas stocks saw active trade, with Reach warrants, WA down one sen to six sen with 96.6 million units done, Perisai lost one sen to 4.5 sen, Hibiscus 0.5 sen to 29 sen.
Petronas Chemicals fell four sen to RM6.96, Petronas Dagangan was flat at RM23.30 and Petronas Gas gained two sen to RM21.94. SapuraKencana rose three sen to RM1.62.
Weigh down the KLCI was Genting Malaysia which fell 11 sen to RM4.62 and erasing 1.1 points from the KLCI. YTL lost four sen to RM1.60 and wiped out 0.74 of a point.
As for telcos, Telekom and Digi were flat at RM6.60 and RM5.03 while Maxis lost three sen to RM5.97 and Axiata four sen to RM5.03.
Spot gold fell US$1.69 to US$1,266.77.
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