KUALA LUMPUR: A late push took the FBM KLCI into positive territory while other Asian markets held firm to gains amid high investor confidence.
At 5pm, the 30-stock benchmark index regained some ground, rising 2.91 points or 0.17% to 1,739.05 points. Turnover was 2.46 billion shares with a value of RM1.89bil. Decliners beat advancers 433 to 349 with 450 counters unchanged.
Japan's Nikkei finally snapped its record 16-day winning streak, ending half a percent lower at 21,707.62 points.
South Korea's Kospi, however, ended firmer for a fourth consecutive session, up 0.1% to 2,492.50 points, as expectations of strong third quarter results buoyed investor sentiment.
Over in China, the unveiling of a new leadership line-up and strong earnings by tech firms led major indexes higher. The Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.3% to 3,396.90 points while the CSI300 Index rose half a percent to 3,976.95 points.
In other markets, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose half a percent to 28,302.89 points, Taiwan's Taiex gained 0.06% to 10,750.57 points, and Singapore's Straits Times Index added a third of a percent to 3,343.88 points.
Back home, Genting Malaysia added 13 sen to RM5.13 to bring the index 1.2711 points higher. Digi also lifted, rising five sen to RM4.87.
In other telcos, Maxis rose two sen to RM5.78 while Axiata gained one sen to RM5.24. Telekom Malaysia dipped one sen to RM6.12.
Among banking stocks, RHB gained 12 sen to RM5.07 and Public Bank gained two sen to RM20.46. Maybank slipped one sen to RM9.24, Ambank dropped four sen to RM4.36, CIMB dipped one sen to RM6.10 and Hong Leong Bank was unchanged at RM16.08.
Petronas-related counters did not fare well in Wednesday's trade. Petronas Chemicals slipped three sen to RM7.45, Petronas Dagangan dipped 10 sen to RM24.10 and Petronas Gas fell four sen to RM18.06.
Construction counter IJM added five sen to RM3.27 while in plantations, KL Kepong rose 20 sen to RM24.50 and IOI fell four sen to RM4.46.
British American Tobacco
slipped further on Wednesday, ending the trading session 80 sen lower at RM41.20.
In commodities, US light crude was down 24 cents to US$52.23 a barrel while Brent Crude fell 16 cents to US$58.17 a barrel. Spot gold lost US$5 to US$1,271.58 per troy ounce.
And on the forex market, the ringgit traded 0.08% weaker against the greenback at 4.2355. It strengthened 0.14% to 5.5803 and 0.1% against the Singapore dollar at 3.1062.
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