For the month, the FBM KLCI is down 3.18% and year-to-date, it is down 8.02%.
KUALA LUMPUR: Genting Malaysia, CIMB and Maybank pushed the FBM KLCI into the red at midday on Tuesday as investors took profit while the broader market was cautious, tracking the weaker key Asian markets.
At 12.30pm, the KLCI was down 0.61 of a point or 0.03% to 1,764.28. Turnover was 1.48 billion shares valued at RM875.71mil Decliners beat advancers nearly three to one with 565 losers and 205 gainers and 361 counters unchanged.
The ringgit fell 0.26% against the US dollar to 4.2835 while it eked out a 0.01% gain versus the pound sterling at 5.4893 and inched up 0.01% against the Singapore dollar to 3.0874. It climbed 0.31% against the euro to 4.7669.
The dollar firmed against a basket of currencies on Tuesday as the euro and sterling were pressured by political uncertainties in the UK and eurozone, even as it surrendered ground against the perceived safe-haven yen.
Concerns about a Greek bailout, early Italian elections and comments by the European Central Bank chief about the need for continued stimulus all kept the euro under pressure on Tuesday, Reuters reported.
China, Hong Kong and Taiwan markets are closed for holidays on Tuesday.
Genting Malaysia fell 31 sen to RM5.80 and erased 3.04 points from the KLCI while CIMB lost 10 sen to RM6.24 and wiped out 1.49 points and Maybank's six sen fall to RM9.34 shed 1.01 points.
Public Bank rose six sen to RM20.08, Hong Leong Bank and RHB Bank added four sen each to RM14 and RM5.39 but AmBank lost nine sen to RM5.11.
IHH Healthcare rose 15 sen to RM5.77 and pushed the KLCI up 2.04 points, Westports rose 11 sen to RM3.83 and Tenaga added four sen to RM13.76.
US light crude oil rose 11 cents to US$49.91 and Brent slipped five cents to US$52.24. Petronas Gas rose 22 sen to RM18.82, Petronas Cheimcial six sen higher at RM7.31 but Petronas Dagangan lost six sen to RM24.10.
Refiner Petron was down 18 sen to RM8 and Hengyuan 15 sen lower at RM5.59.
Crude palm oil for third-month delivery fell RM23 to RM2,493 per tonne, the lowest since April 26. PPB Group lost six sen to RM16.80, IOI Corp fell four sen to RM4.52, Sime Darby rose two sen to RM9.35 while KL Kepong added four sen to RM24.76,
Vitrox fell 21 sen to RM6.55 and JHM 15 sen lower at RM4.75.
Among the key regional markets,
Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.12% to 19,659.11;
South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.36% to 2,344.39 and
Singapore’s Straits Times Index shed 0.38% to 3,292.45.
Spot gold gained 30 cents to US$1,268.40.
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