KUALA LUMPUR (July 30): The FBM KLCI edged down at the mid-day break in choppy trading as mild profit taking chipped off some of its gains, while regional markets mostly continued to rally.
At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI was down 0.05 of a point to 1,624.89.
There were 324 gainers and 249 losers, while 305 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 491.79 million shares valued at RM466.59 million.
The ringgit firmed up 0.33% to 3.1510 versus the US dollar; crude palm oil futures rose RM43 per tonne to RM2,970, crude oil added 51 cents to US$90.64 while gold fell 70 cents an ounce to US$1,622.20.
Asian shares extended their gains on Monday, supported by expectations the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank will deliver new measures to underpin their fragile economies, but the euro fell as caution kept a firm cap, according to Reuters.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained as much as 1.1 percent to a three-week high, after posting its biggest daily rise in a month on Friday with a 2.2 percent climb, it said.
At the regional markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.68% to 8,625.06, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 1.52% to 19,568.80, the Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.13% to 2,125.95, Taiwan’s Taiex was up 0.64% to 7,169.82, South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.85% to 1,844.66 and Singapore’s Straits Times Index gained 0.94% to 3,026.56.
On Bursa Malaysia, BAT fell RM1.96 to RM59.98, Nestle lost 74 sen to RM59.62, Far East 20 sen to RM7.40, F&N and UOA Development down 12 sen each to RM19 and RM1.70, Takaful 11 sen to RM6.35, Pharmaniaga 10 sen to RM9.52, Utusan nine sen to 74.5 sen, while IJM Land and HLFG lost eight sen each to RM2.50 and RM12.24.
Gainers in the morning session included Chin Teck, Aeon Credit, Y&G, Petronas Dagangan, Biosis, Mintye, Can –One, Top Glove and MPHB.
The actives included GPRO, Biosis, Luster, IHH Healthcare, Asia Media and ManagePay.