KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of Mesiniaga and Hei-Tech Padu rallied early Tuesday after strong positive corporate news while the FBM KLCI chalked up some gains with investors hoping it can break pst the key 1,700 level.
At 9.16am, the KLCI was up 3.41 points or 0.2% to 1,695.63. Turnover was 342.21 million shares valued at RM125.64mil. There were 242 gainers, 128 losers and 217 counters unchanged.
Asian shares and US stock futures slipped amid signs of pessimism about world growth, while sterling dithered as the latest plan for Brexit appeared to come and go with no progress, Reuters reported.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan eased 0.1% but was still within striking distance of a seven-week top touched the previous day. Japan's Nikkei gained 0.2%, helped by a recent pullback in the yen.
US stock futures were down about 0.2%.
At Bursa, Mesiniaga hit limit up at the opening bell after surging 34 sen to RM1.50 after it secured a contract worth RM1.9bil for the Malaysia International Internet Gateway (EM-IIG) project undertaken by Xiddig Cellular Communications Sdn Bhd.
Hei-tech Padu jumped 29 sen to RM1.15, after hitting limit-up last Friday.
Plantations were higher led by KL Kepong, up 30 sen to RM24.60 and PPB Group up 28 sen to RM17.86.
As for consumer stocks, Nestle rose 60 sen to RM148 with 200 shares done, F&N added 28 sen to RM33.92 and Dutch Lady
18 sen to RM61.
Petronas Dagangan gained 22 sen to RM25.22.
Bumi Armada rose two sen to 24 sen and its was the most active with 106 million shares done after CIMB Research said it expected the oil and gas services company to resolve the refinancing of its loans.
Public Bank fell 10 sen to RM24.70 and Maybank five sen to RM9.50.
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