KLCI pares down loss at mid-day, but gloomy mood prevails

by **hlk** Thu 15 Dec 2011, 13:22

KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 15): The FBM KLCI pared down some of its losses at
the mid-day break on Thursday, but the gloomy sentiment across the
region remained on fears of a deepening eurozone debt crisis.

The FBM KLCI shed 4.15 points to 1,458.97 at 12.30pm, weighed by
select blue chips. The index had earlier fallen to its intra-morning low
of 1,448.54.

Losers led gainers by 368 to 211, while 283 counters traded
unchanged. Volume was 733.86 million shares valued at RM510.67 million.

The ringgit weakened 0.39% to 3.1973 versus the US dollar; crude palm
oil futures for the third month delivery fell RM50 per tonne to
RM3,003, crude oil rose 76 cents per barrel to US$95.71 while gold added
US$3 an ounce to US$1,577.05.

Asian shares fell into bear market territory for the year and
commodities and the euro nursed stinging losses on Thursday, after fears
that Europe's debt crisis is still worsening prompted investors to dump
riskier assets and huddle in the safety of the dollar and Treasuries,
according to Reuters.

The gloomy mood was not improved by a private sector survey
indicating China's factory output shrinking again in December, adding to
the headwinds facing a global economy struggling with sluggish US
growth and the euro zone sliding back into recession, it said.

At the regional markets, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 1.85% to
18,014.70, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.1% to 8,425.58, Taiwan’s Taiex
Index was down 1.86% to 6,793.97, South Korea’s Kospi fell 1.99% to
1,820.74, South Korea’s Kospi lost 1.31% to 2,637.26 and the Shanghai
Composite Index shed 1.11% to 2,203.84.

Among the losers this morning, Dutch Lady fell 98 sen to RM24.90, KLK
was down 40 sen to RM22.20, HLFG and Nestle lost 28 sen each to RM11.38
and RM56.20, Hong Leong Bank 18 sen to RM10.50, Petronas Dagangan 16
sen to RM17.02, Orient 13 sen to RM5.11, BAT 12 sen to RM48.86 while
Aeon and PPB fell 10 sen each to RM7.30 and RM16.30.

The gainers included QSR that added 43 sen to RM6.43, KFCH was up 41
sen to RM3.82, KrisAssets up 30 sen to RM5.60, Kulim 27 sen to RM3.96,
Jaya Tiasa 25 sen to RM6.98, while Carlsberg and LPI Capital rose 14 sen
each to RM8.97 and RM13.18.

The actives included Kulim and KFCH’s warrants, Flonic, Compugates, Boon Koon and Envair.