KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI was pulled higher by plantation stocks in the early session, even as most of the Asian region was brought lower by a spike in crude oil prices that revived fresh inflation fears.
While regional markets treaded water, Malaysia's benchmark index rose 6.43 points to 1,697.92. Among the leading planters, IOI jumped 14 sen to RM3.76, Kuala Lumpur Kepong gained 32 sen to RM21.92 and SD Guthrie climbed 32 sen to RM6.56.
Crude palm oil prices, already anticipated to benefit from severe El Nino weather disrupting crop yields, rose 1% to RM4,500 a tonne.
In other commodity plays, PETRONAS Chemicals rose 15 sen to RM4.45 while Press Metal
added 16 sen to RM7.86.
Despite the attention to Malaysia's blue chips, the market was broadly lower with 586 declining issues compared to 314 advancing. Trading volume was 1.69 billion shares valued at RM911.51mil.
Leading the fall, utility stocks dropped 0.9, technology shaved 1.07%, consumer services fell 0.65% and construction slid 0.15%.
Among the positive sectors, plantations surged 2.56%, while energy shares rose 0.25%, and financial services gained 0.09%.
In Asia, South Korea's Kospi dove 8% to 6,880 as shares in SK Hynix shaved nearly 11%, triggering a sell-off in regional chipmakers.
Japan's Nikkei dropped 2.35% to 66,946. In China, the Shanghai Composite index lost 1.75% to 3,926, the CSI 300 slipped 1.6% to 4,703 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng slid 0.13% to 24,144.
