KUALA LUMPUR: Blue chips eked out small gains early Monday, shored up by gains in Maxis and Petronas Gas amid a mixed broader market but key Asian markets were in the red after the political developments in Italy.
At 9.30am, the KLCI was up 0.52 of a point or 0.03% to 1,629.48. Turnover was 156.26 million shares valued at RM68.84mil. There were 161 gainers, 132 losers and 198 counters unchanged.
Reuters reported the euro was under the gun on Monday, skidding to a 20-month low after Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said he would resign following a stinging defeat on constitutional reform that could destabilise the country's shaky banking system.
The single currency, which slumped to as low as $1.0505 in early Asian trade after opening at around $1.0685, pulled back up to $1.0562.
The wire reported MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.3%, while E-mini futures for the S&P 500 lost 0.4%. Japan's Nikkei slid 0.6%.
At Bursa, Petronas Gas rose 14 sen to RM20.98 with 200 shares done while Maxis gained nine sen to RM6.05.
Panasonic Malaysia added 48 sen to RM33.08 with 400 shares done, Nestle and Aeon Credit
added 10 sen each to RM76.10 and RM13.80 while Paos rose eight sen to RM1.25.
Hibiscus Petroleum was the most active, up 1.5 sen to 31.5 sen with 18.92 million shares done. KNM added 0.5 sen to 34 sen.
FGV rose two sen to RM1.63 and FGV-C12 inched up 0.5 sen to 19 sen but FGV-C22 lost eight sen to 13 sen.
KL Kepong fell 18 sen to RM23.70, PPB Group 10 sen lower at RM15.90. Perstima lost seven sen to RM6.80 and UEM Edgenta five sen lower at RM3.20.
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