FBM KLCI snaps winning streak to end in red

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI snapped its winning streak to end in the red today, dragged by profit-taking in selected heavyweight counters.

The 30-stock index closed down 3.93 points, or 0.26% at 1,484.26 after moving between 1,494.54 and 1,483.54 throughout the day.

There were 527 gainers, 403 losers and 410 counters traded unchanged on the Bursa Malaysia. Activities were encouraging with 4.56 billion shares worth RM2.55bil changed hands.

In today’s session, 19 of the KLCI-component stocks closed lower while four counters chalked up gains.

Among the decliners on Bursa Malaysia, Nestle tumbled RM1.50 to RM135.50, F&N shed 46 sen to RM26.24, Heineken eased 38 sen to RM29.22 and PETRONAS Dagangan lost 28 sen to RM22.16.

Malaysian Pacific Industries jumped 74 sen to RM33.74, Panasonic Manufacturing rose 52 sen to RM26.08, Hextar Technologies gained 50 sen to RM26.50 and Paragon Union climbed 26 sen to RM2.52.

Among the banks, AmBank fell six sen to RM3.89, Maybank eased three sen to RM8.77, RHB Bank declined one sen to RM5.52 and Public Bank lost one sen to RM4.17.

Meanwhile, US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 47 cents to US$79.06 and Brent added 29 cents to US$85.67 per barrel.

Elsewhere in the region, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.71%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 0.84%, South Korea’s Kospi closed up 1.96% and China’s CSI 300 index fell 0.73%.