KLCI ends higher in line with regional peers

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI rose on Thursday in sync with regional markets, supported by continuous buying in the banking stocks.

The 30-stock index closed up 1.83 points, or 0.12% to 1,484.64. The index moved between 1,491.69 and 1,483.79 throughout the day.

In the broader market, gainers outnumbered losers with 504 stocks ending higher and 361 stocks finishing lower.

Total volume stood at 2.82 billion shares valued at RM2.35bil.

Genetec and Hong Leong Bank were among the top gainers, rising RM1.58 and 66 sen each to RM37.88 and RM18.78, respectively.

MPI added 44 sen to RM48.66, LPI rose 44 sen to RM14.20 and F&N gained 38 sen to RM25.26.

Sam Engineering fell 60 sen to RM21.40, Kuala Lumpur Kepong shed 30 sen to RM21 and Rapid lost 26 sen to RM10.26.

Among the heavyweights, Maybank added one sen to RM8.11, Public Bank rose two sen to RM4.03, Tenaga fell five sen to RM9.24, Genting declined three sen to RM4.47 and MISC rose 18 sen to RM6.89.

Meanwhile, the ringgit was quoted at 4.2130, up 0.37% against the US dollar.

US light crude oil rose 65 cents to US$71.52 and Brent added 60 cents to US$74.48 per barrel.

Among the key regional markets:

Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed up 2.13 % to 29,066.32;

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.23% to 23,475.50;

Shanghai Composite Index added 0.75% to 3,675.02;

Taiwan’s Taiex gained 0.71% to 17,785.74;

South Korea’s Kospi advanced 0.57% to 3,006.41 and;

Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.61% to 3,133.90 points.