KL shares mixed at midday

Share prices on Bursa Malaysia ended mixed at the end of the morning session today, although Wall Street and most regional markets chalked up losses, dealers said.

At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) stood at 1,561.87 or 0.01 per cent higher. It had opened 0.18 of point firmer at 1,561.95.

Dealers said investors remain concerned over progress on a plan to lift the US debt ceiling that has triggered a broad sell-off in risky assets.

In moderate trading, market breadth was negative with 291 losers against 297 gainers.

Volume stood at 539.88 million shares valued at RM716.71 million.

The Finance Index rose 9.5 points to 14,786.8, the Plantation Index rose 46.04 points to 7,766.35 and the Industrial Index declined 10.37 points to 2,861.48.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia Emas Index rose 10.57 points to 10,750.38, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Mid 70 Index advanced 54.159 points to 11,845.6 and the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Ace Index decreased 46.34 points to 4,099.15.

Among actives, newly-listed Prestariang fell 11.5 sen to 78.5 sen, Ingenuity Solutions-Wa was flat at 2.5 sen and KNM rose 17 sen to RM2.07.

For the heavyweights, Maybank fell two sen to RM8.83, CIMB gained one sen to RM8.41 and Petronas Chemicals declined four sen to RM6.97. -- Bernama