KUALA LUMPUR: Investors paused for breath and took profits following recent gains, while the ringgit strengthened against the US dollar.
The market barometer, FBM KLCI, fell 6.03 points or 0.4% to 1,515.56 — its intraday low after reaching a high of 1,524.50 earlier.
In the broader market, decliners outnumbered gainers, with 506 counters closing lower, 405 ending higher, and 450 unchanged. Turnover stood at 3.044 billion shares worth RM1.81bil.
The ringgit, which has gained about 3.4% so far this year, rose 0.9% to 4.3250 against the greenback, marking its highest level in nearly six months.
The ringgit advanced 0.45% against the Singapore dollar to 3.3070, gained 0.54% against the euro at 4.9265, and rose 0.37% against the pound sterling to 5.8014.
Among the losers on Bursa Malaysia, PETRONAS Gas slid 42 sen to RM16.82, Kuala Lumpur Kepong fell 28 sen to RM19.50, F&N lost 24 sen to RM26.22 and LPI declined 22 sen to RM14.14.
Nestle surged RM3.84 to RM84.22, Malaysian Pacific Industries
jumped 86 sen to RM18.66, PETRONAS Dagangan added 22 sen to RM19.20 and United Plantations rose 18 sen to RM22.68.
Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.45%.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 ended up 0.38% at 35,839.99, while South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.65% higher at 2,565.42.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closed up 0.16% at 22,008.11.
China’s blue-chip CSI 300 index ended down 0.17% at 3,775.08, while the Shanghai Composite Index declined 0.05% to 3,286.65.
