KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI staged a late rebound on last-minute buying, ending the session at its intraday high amid weaker regional sentiment.
The benchmark index rose 4.48 points, or 0.27%, to 1,676.83 after hitting an intraday low of 1,665.94.
Market breadth was mixed, with 512 gainers, 565 losers and 526 counters unchanged. About 2.73 billion shares worth RM2.76bil were traded.
Dealers said the rebound was supported by late buying interest in selected blue chips, while overall market sentiment remained mixed.
Gainers included Nestle, which rose RM1.70 to RM122, BLD Plantations, up RM1.18 to RM15.80, United Plantations, which added 96 sen to RM31.44, and Hong Leong Industries, which climbed 38 sen to RM16.66.
On the other hand, Hong Leong Financial Group fell 32 sen to RM18.96, Dutch Lady
lost 26 sen to RM30.62, Allianz declined 22 sen to RM20.18, and Kelington gave up 21 sen to RM4.76.
Meanwhile, the ringgit was quoted at 4.0570 against the greenback, down 0.25%. The local unit fell 0.07% against the Singapore dollar at 3.1649.
On the external front, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan index fell 0.26% as most regional markets finished lower.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slid 1.06% to 51,961.98, while South Korea’s index rose 0.57% to 4,551.06.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index closed down 0.94% at 26,458.95.
China’s CSI 300 index fell 0.29% to 4,776.67, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.05% to 4,085.77.
