KUALA LUMPUR: Market sentiment perked up in late morning trade on Thursday with funds seen picking up banking stocks and Petronas-related counters as key Asian markets improved.
At 12.30pm, the KLCI was up 5.6 points or 0.35% to 1,626.64. Turnover was 785.76 million shares valued at RM666.09mil. There were 356 gainers, 273 losers and 276 counters unchanged.
Crude oil prices and crude palm oil (CPO) prices were higher at midday.
US light crude oil rose 62 cents to US$45.71 and Brent 38 cents higher at RM48.75. Crude palm oil for third-month delivery jumped RM36 to RM2,411 per tonne.
The ringgit weakened against the US dollar to 4.3997 from 4.3950 on Wednesday, it was quoted at 6.6583 against the pound sterling from 6.6706. Against the Singapore dollar it was at 3.0861 from 3.0887.
Hong Kong and China markets were closed. However, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and Singapore traded higher at the midday break.
At Bursa Malaysia, banks were mostly higher, with AmBank gained seven sen to RM4.63, CIMB six sen to RMRM4.52, Public Bank four sen to RM17.56 while Maybank and RHB Cap edged up one sen each to RM8.57 and RM5.96.
Petronas Gas added 26 sen to RM22.22 while Petronas Dagangan added 12 sen to RM21.94 but Petronas Chemicals shed five sen to RM6.09. SK Petro edged up one sen to RM1.89. Uzma lost 11 sen to RM1.87.
Genting Plantations added 25 sen to RM10.16, KL Kepong gained 24 sen to RM21.94, IJM Plantations 18 sen to RM3.39, IOI Corp nine sen to RM4.16, FGV two sen to RM1.52 and Sime Darby up one sen to RM7.80.
However, PPB Group fell two sen to RM15.40. United Plantations fell RM1.04 to RM25.94.
BAT was the top gainer for the morning, adding 60 sen to RM60.92.
Asia File
is expecting an improved 2016 financial year ending next March despite the current global economic downturn.
AirAsia was the most active, up one sen to RM1.29.
Glove makers Top Glove and Hartalega were among the decliners. Top Glove fell 10 sen toRM7.97 and Haratalega nine sen to RM4.76.
Among the key regional markets,
Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 2.24% to 17,777.09;
Taiwan’s Taiex rose 1.41% to 8,296.51;
South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.92% to 1,980.78;
Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.87% to 2,815.31.
Spot gold fell 19 cents to US$1,114.90.
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