KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI eked out a modest gain at Monday's close after late buying interest lifted the benchmark index despite a broadly weaker market.
The market barometer added 0.83 points to 1,725.73 after trading between an intraday high of 1,729.72 and a low of 1,719.47.
In the broader market, decliners outpaced advancers, with 609 stocks ending lower while 490 closed higher. About 2.73 billion shares, valued at RM2.34bil, changed hands.
A dealer said late buying in selected heavyweight stocks helped the FBM KLCI finish in positive territory, although cautious sentiment persisted amid weaker regional markets and ongoing geopolitical uncertainties.
F&N was the top loser on Bursa Malaysia, sliding 40 sen to RM27.50. Frontken fell 19 sen to RM5.02, PETRONAS Chemicals declined 17 sen to RM4.61, while SAM Engineering lost 17 sen to RM4.38.
Among the gainers, Nestlé rose RM1.60 to RM102.70, United Plantations gained 48 sen to RM34.20, Hong Leong Industries added 28 sen to RM18, while AmBank advanced 27 sen.
On the forex market, the ringgit fell 0.23% against the US dollar to 4.0950 and edged down 0.3% versus the Singapore dollar to 3.1936.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that oil prices tumbled more than US$4 a barrel on Monday after US President Donald Trump delayed a fresh attack on Iran in pursuit of a deal to curb Tehran's nuclear ambitions and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude eased US$3.71, or 4.22%, to US$84.22 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude lost US$4.46, or 5.27%, to US$80.21 per barrel.
Externally, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index slipped 1.29% as most Asian markets ended lower.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed down 0.94% to 63,754.90 while South Korea’s Kospi tumbled 5.12% to 6,257.45.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.48% to 26,009.40.
China’s CSI300 index fell 0.98% to 4,543.18 while the Shanghai Composite declined 0.59% to 3,809.66.
