KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI extended its gains for the third consecutive day, supported by regional market strength amid signs of a potential de-escalation in trade tensions between the US and China.
At the end of the early session, the FBM KLCI added 2.68 points, or 0.18% to 1,509.20 after hitting an intraday high of 1,512.29. For the week, the benchmark index gained 0.65%.
On the local stock exchange, 651 stocks rose, 325 declined, and 434 remained unchanged. Turnover was 3.1 billion shares valued at RM1.95bil.
Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd (MPI) was the top gainer, rising RM1.28 to RM17.44, followed by BLD Plantation
, which climbed 40 sen to RM11.20, and PIE, which rose 33 sen to RM4.18.
Among the decliners, F&N slid 48 sen to RM26.72, Klung lost 18 sen to RM5.44 and PETRONAS Dagangan declined 16 sen to RM19.00.
On the forex market, the ringgit rose 0.2% against the US dollar to 4.3730 but slipped 0.21% against the Singapore dollar to 3.3262.
Among the key regional markets:
Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed up 1.9% to 35,705.74;
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.32% to 21,980.74;
China’s CSI 300 Index gained 0.07% to 3,786.99;
Taiwan’s Taiex added 2.02% to 19,872.73;
South Korea’s Kospi closed up 0.95% to 2,546.30 and;
Singapore’s Straits Times Index fell 0.21% to 3,823.78 points.
