KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI inched up and ended Friday morning's session higher backed by gains in BAT, in line with the fairly stronger regional markets.
At 12.30pm, the KLCI was up 1.34 points to 1,833.32. Turnover was 925.1 million shares valued at RM1.58bil. There were 378 gainers, 316 decliners and 298 counters unchanged.
Reuters reported Asian shares edged down on Friday ahead of US employment data later in the session, while the euro wallowed around two-year lows after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi vowed to take more easing steps to spark growth in the euro zone.
Investors were likely to remain cautious ahead of the key US nonfarm payrolls report. Solid gains in employment would increase speculation that the US Federal Reserve could raise US interest rates in the middle of next year, it said.
At Bursa Malaysia, BAT rose RM2.48 to RM67.98 and pushed the index up by 1.23 points.
Dutch Lady
rose 28 sen to RM47.20 and Brahims 10 sen to RM1.40.
PBBank rose eight sen to RM18.42 and IJM Plantations nine sen to RM3.65.
Decliners were PetChem, down 16 sen to RM5.95.
Allianz fell 50 sen to RM12, Aeon Credit 34 sen to RM15.50, HLFG 28 sen to RM17.50 and Takaful 20 sen to RM11.72.
Asia Knight fell 26 sen to 51 sen.
Among key regional markets:
Nikkei 225 rose 0.47% to 16,871.66
Hong Kong Hang Seng Index rose 0.13% to 23,681.23
Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index rose 0.59% to 2,440.29
Taiwan Stock Exchange Weighted Index rose 0.32% to 8,919.54
Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI Index rose 0.17% to 1,939.69
Straits Times Index STI rose 0.13% to 3,295.08
Crude oil fell 30 cents to US$77.61 and Brent 48 cents to US$82.38.
Spot gold was down US$1.69 to US$1,140.23.
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