KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI bucked the regional trend to close lower, as profit-taking prevailed in selected heavyweights.
At 5pm, the 30-stock index ended 3.74 points, or 0.24% easier at 1,543.02 after moving between 1,547.02 and 1,540.56.
On the broader market, losers trounced gainers 497 versus 412, while 419 counters were unchanged. Total turnover stood at 3.05 billion worth RM1.82bil.
Dealers said Asian markets saw gains as they reacted to China’s move to ease stringent Covid-19 control measures and the slowdown in US monetary tightening.
China’s CSI300 index ended 0.7% higher at 4,029.02, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.6% to 3,149.06 points.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index rose 2.1% to 21,123.93 while South Korea’s Kospi index ended up 31.61 points, or 1.20%, at 2,669.66, the highest close since May 4.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 2.19% to 27,369.43, its highest close since April 21.
Among the gainers on Bursa Malaysia, Malaysian Pacific Industries
jumped 66 sen to RM31.66, Hengyuan rose 38 sen to RM6.70, Harrisons added 24 sen to RM6.10 and Petron Malaysia climbed 20 sen to RM6.59.
Nestle fell RM1 to RM133.10, PPB Group shed 58 sen to RM16.62, British American Tobacco lost 56 sen to RM12.22 and Aeon Credit eased 44 sen to RM14.76.
G3 Global, the most active counter on Bursa Malaysia fell 1.5 sen to 5.5 sen with 592.64 million shares traded. Green Packet closed unchanged at eight sen with 159.22 million shares done.
Meanwhile, the ringgit was quoted at 4.3673, up 0.26% against the US dollar.
US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 61 cents to US$115.71 and Brent added 54 cents to US$119.97 per barrel.
