KLCI takes a hit after Wall St tumble

KUALA LUMPUR: Key Asian markets including Bursa Malaysia fell in early Thursday trade, as investor sentiment was rattled by the overnight tumble on Wall Street following reports that US President Donald Trump tried to influence a federal probe.

At 9.09am, the FBM KLCI was down 12.9 points or 0.73% to 1,762.75. Turnover was 322.95 million shares valued at RM145mil. Decliners thumped advancers 481 to 58 while 175 counters were unchanged.

Reuters reported Asian stocks fell on Thursday in line with global peers, and the dollar nursed deep losses against the yen as uncertainty mounted over Trump's future following reports that he tried to interfere with a federal investigation.

Equities in Asia took cues from Wall Street, where the Dow and S&P 500 both sank about 1.8% overnight MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.4%. Japan's Nikkei shed 1.2%, Australian shares lost 1.1% and South Korea's Kospi declined 0.5%.

At Bursa, among the KLCI stocks, Petronas Gas fell 20 sen to RM18.84, Axiata 14 sen to RM5.26 and KL Kepong 12 sen lower at RM24.78.

Nestle was the top loser, down 50 sen to RM81.60  with 400 shares done, Aeon Credit 38 sen lower at RM19, KESM 36 sen to RM13.10, Scientex 14 sen lower at RM8.55. SAM Engineering and JHM lost 12 sen each to RM6.80 and RM4.70.

Priceworth lost 0.5 sen to 28.5 sen with 14.43 million shares done.

However, Hong Leong Bank gained 10 sen to RM14.18. Versatile added 10 sen to RM1.50, Solid gained 0.5 sen to RM1.35 and Lafarge edged up four sen to RM5.87.

UEM Sunrise rose three sen to RM1.32 in active trade while its call warrants C38 jumped 2.5 sen to 22 sen.