Key Asian markets closed higher

KUALA LUMPUR: Key Asian markets closed higher at the end of Monday's
trade, as investor sentiment was buoyed by the election victories of
pro-bailout politicians in Greek elections. The results of the Greek
election calmed fears that Greece might leave the euro currency union.
At 5pm today, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 was up 1.77% to 8,721.02 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was higher by 1.01% to 19,427.81.
Shanghai's A share index was 0.40% higher at 2,316.05 and South Korea's Kospi Index also rose 1.81% to 1,891.71.
Singapore's Straits Times Index rose 0.47% to 2,824.22 while the local bourse's benchmark index was up 0.22% to 1,582.73.
At Bursa Malaysia, gainers outpaced losers by 500 to 236 while 281 other counters were traded unchanged.
There were 941.1 million shares done with a total turnover of RM1.64bil.
Among
the gainers were F&N which rose RM1.30 to RM18.10, PHARMA which was
up RM1.97 to RM8.47 and Parkson which gained 28 sen to RM4.58.
The losers included TDM which fell 22 sen to RM4.33, MBSB which lost 10 sen to RM2.36 and TWS which fell 11 sen to RM9.19.
At
5pm today, Nymex crude oil in electronic trade was US$0.14 lower at
US$83.89 per barrel while Brent crude rose US$0.04 to US$97.65.
Spot gold dipped US$3.26 to US$1,623.84 per ounce while spot silver rose 12 cents to US$28.57.
Crude palm oil futures for September 2012 delivery rose RM32 to RM2,881 per tonne.
The ringgit was quoted at RM3.157 to the US dollar and RM3.99 to the euro.