KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI rebounded to end Tuesday at its intraday high, bucking the weaker performance of regional markets.
The benchmark rose 12.33 points, or 0.72%, to 1,729.60, its day’s high, recovering from an intraday low of 1,714.12.
Market breadth was largely even, with 629 gainers and 626 losers, while 530 counters were unchanged. A total of 3.85 billion shares worth RM3.38bil were traded.
Dealers said buying was selective as investors remained cautious, with upside momentum likely to stay limited amid a lack of strong domestic catalysts and ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
Among the gainers, Nestle (M) Bhd
jumped RM3.18 to RM102.30, Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd added 72 sen to RM31.40, KESM Industries Bhd gained 46 sen to RM4.19 and United Plantations Bhd rose 38 sen to RM32.
Decliners included Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd, which slid 38 sen to RM37.50, Allianz Malaysia Bhd, which fell 36 sen to RM20.80, Allianz-PA, which declined 32 sen to RM21.68, and Kelington Group Bhd, which lost 16 sen to RM6.22.
Meanwhile, the ringgit was 3.9515, up 0.03% against the US dollar and also edged up 0.23% against the Singapore dollar at 3.0967.
Stock market data showed foreign funds and retailers were net sellers at RM42mil and RM63mil, respectively, on Monday, while local institutions were net buyers at RM105mil.
Around the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan index fell 0.71% as emerging Asian stocks pulled back from record highs on Tuesday.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 1.02% to 59,917.46.
South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.39% to 6,641.02, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell 0.95% to 25,679.78 and Taiwan’s Taiex slipped 0.24% to 39,521.73.
China’s CSI300 edged down 0.27% to 4,758.21, while the Shanghai Composite declined 0.19% to 4,078.64.
