KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI gained 4.91 points to 1,764 points on Friday, tracking upbeat Asian markets that took their lead from record-breaking Wall Street closes last night.
At 5pm, turnover was 2,49 billion shares valued at RM1.95bil. Advancers beat decliners 468 to 315 while 478 counters were unchanged.
Lotte Chemicals Titan was back in the spotlight on Friday as it announced that the stop-work order on its catalytic cracking reactor had been lifted. Investors took to the positive news, lifting the counter 13 sen to RM5.23.
In the banking sector, CIMB gained one sen to RM6.41, Ambank gained one sen to RM4.48 and Hong Leong Bank rose two sen to RM15.88. Hong Leong Financial added eight sen to RM16.98.
Heavyweight counters Sime Darby took on eight sen to RM9.12 while Genting rose seven sen to RM9.68. British American Tobacco
added 82 sen to RM43.52.
Telco players Maxis rose four sen to RM5.89, DIgi gained three sen to RM4.94 and Axiata gained two sen to RM5.32. Telekom Malaysia fell one sen to RM6.29.
Oil prices were on the decline as Tropical Storm Nate heads towards the US Gulf, causing companies from BP to Chevron to shutter platforms. Meanwhile, data showing large increases in US oil production last week also dampened prices.
WTI Crude fell seven cents to US$50.62 a barrel while Brent Crude gained five cents to US$57.05 a barrel.
Spot gold rose 38 cents to US$1,268.60 per troy ounce.
Meanwhile, the ringgit weakened 0.2% against a rising dollar to 4.2370. The local currency was 0.69% stronger against the pound sterling at 5.5400 and 0.12% stronger against the Singapore dollar at 3.1008.
Among the key regional markets, China's markets remained closed for the Golden Week holidays, but will resume trade on Monday. South Korea's markets were also shuttered, and will resume trade on Tuesday.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index trended 0.28% higher to 28,458.04 points despite dips in its casino counters amid disappointing visitor numbers to Macau's gaming resorts over the long Mainland holiday.
The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index rose 0.54% to 11,459.09 points.
Taiwan’s Taiex gained 0.14% to 10,532.81 points.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 0.3% to 20,690.71 points, hitting a fresh two-year high and fourth straight weekly gain as it received a lift from Wall Street's performance.
Singapore’s Straits Times Index up 0.9% to 3,291.29 points.
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