KLCI closes at July low, Axiata, CIMB drag

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's key index, the FBM KLCI, posted its biggest
loss in recent months on Thursday, weighed down by losses in Axiata, CIMB, Maxis and Maybank.
At
the close, the KLCI was down 23.02 points or 1.4% to 1,617.99, the
lowest since July. The KLCI futures fell 23.50 points to 1,611.50.
The performance of the KLCI was in stark contrast to the key Asian markets and European bourses.
Turnover
was 1.30 billion shares valued at RM2bil. Declining stocks thumped
gainers 739 to 157 while 241 counters were unchanged.
Over the
past two trading days, the KLCI has seen more than 36 points erased,
just two days after the index hit an all-time record high of 1,654.11
on Tuesday.
Turnover of the major losers, especially the KLCI
component stocks were, however, not very large. Of the 30 stocks of the
KLCI, 28 counters were in the red.
Among the key regional
markets, Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.75% to 8,680.57; Hong Kong's Hang
Seng Index added 0.34% to 19,209.30; Shanghai's Composite Index gained
0.7% to 2,051.92 and South Korea's Kospi edged up 0.38% to 1,881.24.
However, Taiwan's Taiex fell 0.55% to 7,326.72 and Singapore's Straits Times Index shed 0.22% to 2,989.26.
US light crude oil jumped US$1.05 to US$96.42 and Brent US$1.02 higher at US$114.11. Spot gold crossed US$1,700 to US$1,710.10.
The ringgit was stronger against the US dollar at 3.1170.
Crude palm oil for third-month futures fell RM36 to RM2,954.
KL Kepong was the top loser, down 64 sen to RM22.30, Batu Kawan lost 46 sen to RM18.60, PPB 32 sen to RM12.96 and IOPI Corp five sen to RM4.99.
Axiata
fell 20 sen to RM6.02 and dragged the KLCI down 3.25 points, CIMB fell
20 sen to RM7.54, erasing 2.84 points while Maxis gave up 15 sen to
RM6.80, Maybank 14 sen to RM9.
Petronas Gas slid 54 sen to RM18.64, pushing the KLCI down 2.04 points, Genting Bhd's 24 sen decline to RM8.70 erased 1.7 points.
BAT was the top gainer, up RM1.10 to RM64.10 while MAH gained 22 sen to RM5.45 and Petra Energy rose six sen to RM1.86.