KUALA LUMPUR: Share prices on Bursa Malaysia ended the holiday-shortened week on a positive note on Friday, mainly in index linked counters following news that the US is considering a delay in tariffs on Mexican imports eased wider concerns about weakening global trade.
At close, the 30-stock index rose 5.24 points or 0.32% to 1,649.33 after opening 6.84 points higher at 1,650.93. The market traded within a range of 5.19 points between an intra-day high of 1,651.99 and a low of 1,646.80 during the session.
Turnover was at 1.55 billion shares valued at RM1.52bil. There were 487 gainers against 306 losers while 349 counters unchanged.
KLCI-component stocks were overwhelmingly in the positive, with 18 gainers, nine decliners and three counters unchanged.
Leading the gain on the index was Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd
, rising 12 sen to RM8.40, pushing the index up by 1.677 points. Maxis Bhd gained 12 sen to RM5.56, lifting the index up by 1.639 while Axiata Group Bhd rose 10 sen to RM4.66, contributing 1.595 points to the index.
Laggards in the FBM KLCI component stocks included Sime Darby, which fell six sen to RM2.25, CIMB Group declined four sen to RM5.28 and RHB Bank shed eight sen to RM5.75.
Meanwhile, the ringgit was quoted at 4.1615, up 0.32% against the US dollar. The local currency was up 0.12% against the euro at 4.6861. It also rose 0.13% against the pound sterling at 5.2876 and 0.47% against the Singapore dollar at 3.0437.
Brent crude was last traded at US$62.94 per barrel while US crude traded at US$53.64 per barrel.
Japan’s Nikkei share average ended 0.5% higher at20,884.71. For the week, the index rose 1.4%. South Korea’s main KOSPI ended up 3.22 points or 0.16% at 2,072.33 points.
China and Hong Kong markets are closed for Dragon Boat Festival on Friday.
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