KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 7): The FBM KLCI slipped at the mid-day break, in line with some of the key regional markets that paused after having rallied on hopes that that Europe will take further action to tackle its debt crisis and the United States and China will adopt stimulus measures to boost growth. The markets now appear to wait for more solid indication of the global economic health.
The FBM KLCI fell 3.06 points to 1,636.37. There were 247 gainers and 383 losers, while 288 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 692.33 million shares valued at RM737.33 million.
China is due to release a slew of July data including inflation, industrial production, retail sales and inflation on Thursday, which investors will comb through to gauge the health of the world's second-largest economy, according to Reuters.
At the regional markets, the Shanghai Composite Index shed 0.03% to 2,154.35. Elsewhere, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 0.29% to 20,056.09; Japan's Nikkei 225 added 0.73% to 8,789.77; Singapore's Straits Times Index gained 0.21% to 3,078.25; Taiwan's Taiex was up 0.12% to 7,277.94; and South Korea's Kospi gained 0.10% to 1,887.74.
Among the decliners on Bursa Malaysia, PPB fell 50 sen to RM13.72. HLFG lost 20 sen to RM12.48; Malpac deducted 17 sen to RM1.63; KLK shrunk 16 sen to RM23.54; GPRO was down 15 sen to 15 sen; Takaful dropped 13 sen to RM6.27; Batu Kawan, Jaya Tiasa, Hong Leong Bank and Carlsberg retreated 12 sen each to RM18.60, RM2.70, RM13.38 and RM12.38 respectively.
GPRO was the most actively-traded counter, with 67 million shares done. Other actives included ES Ceramics, IHH Healthcare, ManagePay, Patimas, Metronic, SapuraKencana, Permaju, Astral Supreme and YTL Corp. The gainers in the morning session included Dutch Lady, GASB, Alllianz, Oriental, Fima Corp, Nestlé, Favelle Favco and Amway.