KLCI ends Friday at fresh all-time high, Maybank, IOI lift

KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI ended Friday with a fresh all-time high despite the late selling towards the week's close backed by Maybank and IOI Corp despite the mixed Asian equities.
At 5pm, the KLCI was up 2.09 points to 1,826.95. Turnover was 1.04 billion valued at RM1.61bil. There were 362 gainers, 356 decliners and 316 counters unchanged.
Reuters reported Asian shares spent much of Friday in a state of suspended animation as tension mounted ahead of jobs data that could make or break the case for an imminent scaling back in US stimulus.
It said the cautious mood looked set to grip European bourses as well with financial spreadbetters expecting an underwhelming start for Germany's DAX France's CAC and Britain's FTSE.
At Bursa Malaysia, Aeon Credit rose 36 sen to RM16.06, Maybank nine sen to RM9.83 and IOI Corp 10 sen to RM5.90.
MAHB rose 25 sen to R<9.12 and Gas Malaysia 16 sen to RM3.90.
Decliners were consumer stocks with Nestle down 60 sen to RM67.16 and BAT 32 sen to RM62.86.
Crude palm oil rose RM16 to RM2,657 but PPB Group fell 24 sen to RM14.88 and United Plantations 30 sen to RM26.20.
PetGas fell 24 sen to RM23.06 and RHB Cap 20 sen to RM7.60.
Bursa fell 22 sen to RM7.83.
The ringgit weakened against the dollar at 3.2337 from 3.2284 the previous close.
Among the key regional markets,

Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.81% to 15,299.86;

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.13% to 23,743.10;

Shanghai’s Composite Index fell 0.44% to 2,237.11;

Taiwan’s Taiex fell 0.09% to 8,367.72;

South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.22% to 1,980.41;

Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.33% to 3,114.17.
Crude oil fell 19 cents to US$97.19 and Brent rose 30 sen to RM111.28.
Spot gold rose US$5.32 to US$1,230.54.