Banks, blue chips lift KLCI by 1.03%

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 24): The FBM KLCI rose 1.03% on Thursday, as most key regional markets staged a mild recovery on bargain hunting activities.

However, European shares pared gains in early trade on Thursday in a choppy session, with volumes expected to be light throughout the day as the U.S. markets are closed for the Thanksgiving holiday, according to Reuters.

The FBM KLCI jumped 14.82 points to 1,447.99, lifted by gains at banking and blue chip stocks.

Gainers led losers by 440 to 277, while 289 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 1.5 billion shares valued at RM1.08 billion.

At the regional markets, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.40% to 17,935.10, Taiwan’s Taiex gained 0.85% to 6,864.39, South Korea’s Kospi added 0.67% to 1,795.06, the Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.10% to 2,397.55 and Singapore’s Straits Times Index edged up 0.02% to 2,677.15.

Meanwhile, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.8% to 8,165.18.

On Bursa Malaysia, HLFG rose 32 sen to RM11.32, CIMB up 11 sen to RM6.79, RHB Capital seven sen to RM7.49, AMMB five sen to RM5.56, Public Bank four sen to RM12.40 and Maybank rose two sen to RM8.19.

Other gainers included Telekom and Axiata that rose 22 sen each to RM4.44 and RM4.96, Genting 16 sen to RM10.28, Sime Darby 15 sen to RM8.88, Batu Kawan 32 sen to RM16.52, KrisAssets 298 sen to RM5.30, CI Holdings and Proton 23 sen each to 90 sen and RM3.18, while MAHB and Nestle gained 20 sen each to RM6.20 and RM50.60.

Among the decliners, BAT fell 26 sen to RM47.24, Dutch Lady 20 sen to RM23.40, Tahps 14 sen to RM4.16, Petrol One 13 sen to RM1.02, KNM 10 sen to RM1.02, while Magni and BRDB fell nine sen each to RM1.14 and RM2.11.

The actives included MBF Holdings warrants, Compugates, JCY, Sumatec, DPS Resources, Emico, Karambunai and KNM.