KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI edged higher on Monday amid mixed regional market performance, as investors focused on US-China trade truce developments and awaited a crucial US inflation report.
The FBM KLCI rose 6.26 points, or 0.4% to 1,563.24 after moving between its intraday high of 1,565.44 and low of 1,554.95.
On the broader market, gainers trounced losers by 513 to 480, while 511 counters were unchanged. About 2.54 billion shares, valued at RM2.2bil, changed hands.
Malaysian Pacific Industries
was the top gainer, jumping RM1.32 to RM21.50, followed by Nestle, which rose RM1.02 to RM88.52, F&N, which gained 50 sen to RM28 and Hong Leong Bank climbed 24 sen to RM19.34.
Among the decliners, Khind slid 54 sen to RM1.66, Mega First fell 14 sen to RM3.45, Tenaga Nasional lost 14 sen to RM13.66 and PIE declined 12 sen to RM3.73.
NexG, one of the most actively traded counters, had its intraday short selling (IDSS) suspended for the day.
Its share price plunged 29.91%, or 16 sen to 37.5 sen with 188.03 million shares traded.
Meanwhile, the ringgit was quoted at 4.2325, up 0.18% against the US dollar, and at 3.2957, up 0.25% against the Singapore dollar.
Around the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.31%.
South Korea’s Kospi ended 0.1% lower at 3,206.77 while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closed up 0.19% at 24,906.81.
China’s blue-chip CSI300 index rose 0.43% to 4,122.51 and the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.34% to 3,647.55.
Japanese markets closed for the Mountain Day holiday.
