KLCI extends gains, Tenaga lifts

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI advanced at midday on Thursday as gains in Tenaga helped buoy the index, up nearly 13 points despite the weaker regional markets, as investors' began to bargain hunt on beaten-down stocks.

At 12.30pm, the KLCI was up 12.28 points to 1,808.50. Turnover was 743.82 million shares valued at RM645.54mil. There were 459 gainers, 196 decliners and 248 counters unchanged.

Reuters reported Asian shares sagged on Thursday after a retreat on Wall Street and falling crude oil prices rekindled investor anxiety over slowing global growth, while a mixed picture on Chinese manufacturing failed to impress markets.

Japan's Nikkei share average fell 0.5% while MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan dropped 0.2%.

It said the level of output in factories fell to a five-month low of 50.7, just above the 50-point level that separates growth from contraction on a monthly basis, underscoring a cooling economy, it said.

At Bursa Malaysia, Tenaga rose 24 sen to RM12.80, MYEG 25c to RM3.70 and Genting 36 sen to RM9.42.

Genting Plantations rose 22 sen to RM10.22 and HLFG 20 sen to RM17.50.

Nestle rose 30 sen to RM67.80 and BAT 30 sen to RM67.80.

Decliners were Scientex, down nine sen to RM6.98 and Boustead 10 sen to RM5.05.

Takaful fell 20 sen to RM11.68 and LPI 10 sen to RM17.40.

Among key regional markets:

Nikkei 225 fell 0.31% to 15,148.81

Hong Kong Hang Seng Index fell 0.36% to 23,320.28

Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index fell 0.90% to 2,305.63

Taiwan Stock Exchange Weighted Index fell 0.20% to 8,731.22

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI Index fell 0.56% to 1,926.13

Straits Times Index STI rose 0.71% to 3,225.62

Crude oil fell 12 cents to US$80.40 and Brent 14 cents to US$84.57.

Spot gold rose US$1.97 to US$1,243.24.