FBM KLCI maintains positive momentum

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI maintained its upward momentum to close higher on Thursday buoyed by positive sentiments.

At 5pm, the market bellwether closed up 1.98 points, or 0.14% at 1,451.27, its highest since early March 2023. The market traded in a range of 1,456.36 to 1,446.92 throughout the day.

There were 507 gainers, 443 losers and 422 counters traded unchanged. Turnover was at 3.73 billion shares valued at RM2.4bil.

Among the KLCI component stocks, Hong Leong Financial Group rose 38 sen to RM18.18, PETRONAS Dagangan added 12 sen to RM22.78, QL Resources gained eight sen to RM5.43 and Telekom Malaysia climbed six sen to RM5.12.

On the broader market, Hextar Technologies surged RM1.18 to RM27.48, AirAsia X jumped 53 sen to RM2.33, Ayer gained 20 sen to RM7.48 and Shangri-La rose 18 sen to RM2.78.

Malaysian Pacific Industries slid 26 sen to RM29.44, Carlsberg fell 24 sen to RM20.92, PETRONAS Chemicals lost 19 sen to RM6.81 and Imaspro eased 15 sen to RM4.85.

Meanwhile, the ringgit was quoted at 4.5227, up 0.57% against the US dollar.

US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 87 cents to US$79.65 and Brent added 76 cents to US$83.68 per barrel.

On the external front, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index rose 0.72%.

Elsewhere in the region, Japan’s Nikkei 225 added 0.68%, South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.44%, China’s Shanghai Composite Index ended down 0.2% and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closed up 1.41%.