KL shares end mixed

KUALA LUMPUR: Share prices closed mixed today on profit-
taking in line with the lower regional bourses despite firmer Wall Street overnight, dealers said.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) declined 1.5 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 1,498.24.

The benchmark index opened 4.4 points higher at 1,504.14 and hovered between 1,497.33 and 1,510.54 throughout the day.

Dealers said the market was strong in early session but weakened towards the end as profit-taking was seen among blue-chips and small-capitalised stocks.


MIDF Amanah Investment Bank head of research, Zulkifli Hamzah, said foreign funds took the opportunity to buy when the market rose in the morning but later turned net sellers.

"Most fund managers don't want to have exposure. The 1,500 level is tough to maintain now in view of the weak sentiment," he told Bernama today.

However, he said, the local investors were still supporting the market.

"They are adjusting their positions ahead of the festive season holidays," he said.

The Finance Index rose 15.15 points to 14,245.32, Plantation Index gained 26.34 points to 7,333.52 and the Industrial Index added 6.27 points to 2,743.98.

The FBM Emas Index rose 4.69 points to 10,280.48, Malaysia Mid 70 Index advanced 69.27 points to 11,315.5 and FBM Ace Index increased 25.81 points to 3,840.65.

Gainers overwhelmed losers by 411 to 393 while 285 counters closed unchanged and 406 others untraded.

Volume rose to 1.29 billion share worth RM1.97 billion from 1.07 billion shares worth RM1.45 billion yesterday.

Takaso Resources-Ord Rights was among the active stocks. It was down half sen to half sen.

Hap Seng Cons-Warrant rose 10 sen to 41 sen, DVM Technology gained one sen to 16 sen and AirAsia increased eight sen to RM3.75.

For heavyweights, Maybank, Sime Darby and Axiata rose two sen each to RM8.62, RM8.87 and RM4.98 respectively.

CIMB fell one sen to RM8.14 and Petronas Chemical shed two sen to RM6.51.

Of the top gainers, Nestle added 50 sen to RM47.90, Petronas Gas rose 38 sen to RM13.56 and Genting Plantations gained 34 sen to RM7.35.

Volume on the Main Market rose to one billion shares worth RM1.93 billion from 783.47 million shares worth RM1.4 billion yesterday.

Turnover on the ACE market declined to 191.71 million units valued at RM29.13 million from 193.94 million units valued at RM32.38 million previously.

Warrants rose to 96.86 million shares worth RM13.54 milliom from 93.43 million shares worth RM12.37 million on Monday.

Consumer products accounted for 105.33 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products 173.41 million, construction 64.06 million, trade and services 350.58 million, technology 27.63 million, infrastructure 12.47 million, finance 81.13 million, hotels 950,600, properties 116.647 million,
plantation 59.8 million, mining nil, REITs 4.9 million and closed/fund 222,900. - Bernama