KLCI climbs to 1-month high, ringgit strengthens

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI rose for the fifth day, putting on 0.44% to its highest in about a month, while the ringgit climbed against the US dollar.

At 5pm, the 30-stock index was up 6.92 points to 1,570.82, its highest since Sept 13, supported by gains in banks and commodities counters.

Gainers outpaced losers 737 to 401, while 371 counters were unchanged. About 6.9 billion shares, valued at RM3.87bil, changed hands.

Ringgit was quoted at 4.1687, appreciating 0.21% against the US dollar.

The ringgit, however, was traded lower against Singapore dollar at 3.0804 and British pound at 5.6886.

Dealers said the positive market sentiment continued to hold following the announcement on travel curb relaxations. The relaxation will help to reboot the tourism and transportation companies, a dealer said.

Airline and travel stocks rose following the announcement. AirAsia gained nine sen to RM1.28, AirAsia X added two sen to 10.5 sen, Avillion climbed 0.5 sen to 13.5 and Parlo advanced 1.5 sen to 25.5 sen.

At Bursa Malaysia, Genetec was the top gainer, rising RM1.16 to RM41.80. Heineken rose 68 sen to RM23.68, Nestle gained 50 sen to RM134.50 and Carlsberg advanced 40 sen to RM22.46.

On the other hand, F&N fell 62 sen to RM26.96, MPI shed 40 sen to RM43.80 and Theta Edge lost 39 sen to RM1.80.

On the external front, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added 0.6%.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed up 1.60% higher at 28,498.20 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 1.96% to 25,325.09.

China’s CSI300 index rose 0.1% to 4,936.19, while the Shanghai Composite Index ended flat at 3,591.71 points.