Inch Kenneth and associate top gainers list

BY KATHY FONG

Inch Kenneth Kajang Rubber Plc, which has hogged the limelight since announcing the largest bonus issue in Malaysia's history, and its associated company FA Peninsular Bhd (FAP) were the top two gainers for the first half of the year.  

Inch Kenneth's share price has more than tripled to RM61.75 as at yesterday since the beginning of the year and FAP, which bucked the market downtrend in May, continued to surge to a five-year high of RM1.63 on Monday from below 40 sen in April, making a gain of 208%. 

Concrete Engineering Products Bhd, which has cross-shareholding with Inch Kenneth, was among the top gainers too. Since the beginning of the year, the stock has added 74 sen or 73% to RM1.75 after hitting a near four-year high of RM2.07 on Monday. 

As usual, the old plantation companies - Kluang Rubber Co Malaya, Sungei Bagan Rubber Co (Malaya) Bhd, Kuchai Development Bhd and Ayer Molek Rubber Company Bhd - were the largest gainers in terms of absolute value. Blue chips British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, Telekom Malaysia Bhd and Tanjong Plc also made the top 20 winners' list.  

Two counters in the Lion group were also on the list of top percentage gainers. Steel maker Lion Industries Corp Bhd rose 39 sen or nearly 75% to 90 sen and Lion Forest Industries Bhd, which is involved in tyre manufacturing and paper milling, chalked up almost 53% gains or 80 sen to RM2.31 in the first half year. 

Among the losers, Petra Perdana Bhd's share price lost the most in absolute terms although the strong surge in crude oil prices was seen to augur well for the oil and gas industry. It was followed by chipmaker Unisem Bhd and civil engineering firm Gadang Holdings Bhd.  

Petra slid RM3.86 or nearly 44% to RM4.94, Unisem fell RM3.20 to RM7.90 and Gadang dropped RM2.91 to RM1.83 from last year closing of RM4.74. 

Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd and its parent company Hong Leong Industries Bhd (HLI) were also on the top losers' list. The semiconductor stock lost RM1.50 to RM15.50, while HLI eased RM1.25 to RM4.60. 

Conglomerate Genting Bhd, which had succumbed to heavy foreign selling, shed RM1.30 to RM15.30. 

Lower liners, particularly the penny stocks, dominated the top percentage losers in the first half-year. 

Datuk Keramat Holdings Bhd, Versatile Creative Bhd and CNLT (Far East) Bhd were the largest percentage losers.  

Datuk Keramat share price sank 72.5% or 29 sen to 11 sen.  

Versatile, which took over the listing status of Tai Wah Garments Manufacturing Bhd last December, tumbled 66% or 56 sen to 29 sen, while CNLT also lost nearly 66% or 85 sen to 44 sen.