KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 23): The FBM KLCI closed higher on Friday, in line with the generally positive sentiment at key Asian markets spurred by signals of some strengthening in the US economy as new claims for unemployment benefit dropped to their lowest in 3-1/2 years.
The 30-stock FBM KLCI rose 4.69 points to 1,496.15.
Gainers led losers by 413 to 292, while 343 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 942.51 million shares valued at RM886.66 million.
At the regional markets, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 1.37% to 18,629.17, Taiwan’s Taiex added 2.07% to 7,110.73, South Korea’s Kospi gained 1.07% to 1,867.22, the Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.85% to 2,204.78 and the Singapore Straits Times Index edged up 0.44% to 2,676.47.
Meanwhile, European stocks rose in early trade on Friday, extending the week's thin-volume, pre-holiday rally after reassuring US economic data in the previous session gave a short-term fillip to a market still overshadowed by the euro zone debt crisis, according to Reuters.
On Bursa Malaysia, BAT was the top gainer and rose RM1.32 to RM49.20; Lafarge Malayan Cement added 30 sen to RM6.90, Petronas Dagangan and Batu Kawan were up 28 sen each to RM17.30 and RM17.28, KLK 20 sen to RM22.20, Advanced Packaging 17 sen to RM1.35 and IJM Corp gained 16 sen to RM5.58.
Among the decliners, PPB fell 12 sen to RM16.98, Shell 11 sen to RM9.19, Tasco, Maybank and Kretam lost 10 sen each to RM1.55, RM8.35 and RM2.40 respectively, while SCGM, HELP, Sarawak Oil Palm fell nine sen each to 45 sen, RM1.62 and RM5.36 respectively, while JobStreet was down eight sen to RM2.22.
The actives included Sanichi, UEM Land, Perisai, Utopia, Astral Supreme and Envair.
The 30-stock FBM KLCI rose 4.69 points to 1,496.15.
Gainers led losers by 413 to 292, while 343 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 942.51 million shares valued at RM886.66 million.
At the regional markets, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 1.37% to 18,629.17, Taiwan’s Taiex added 2.07% to 7,110.73, South Korea’s Kospi gained 1.07% to 1,867.22, the Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.85% to 2,204.78 and the Singapore Straits Times Index edged up 0.44% to 2,676.47.
Meanwhile, European stocks rose in early trade on Friday, extending the week's thin-volume, pre-holiday rally after reassuring US economic data in the previous session gave a short-term fillip to a market still overshadowed by the euro zone debt crisis, according to Reuters.
On Bursa Malaysia, BAT was the top gainer and rose RM1.32 to RM49.20; Lafarge Malayan Cement added 30 sen to RM6.90, Petronas Dagangan and Batu Kawan were up 28 sen each to RM17.30 and RM17.28, KLK 20 sen to RM22.20, Advanced Packaging 17 sen to RM1.35 and IJM Corp gained 16 sen to RM5.58.
Among the decliners, PPB fell 12 sen to RM16.98, Shell 11 sen to RM9.19, Tasco, Maybank and Kretam lost 10 sen each to RM1.55, RM8.35 and RM2.40 respectively, while SCGM, HELP, Sarawak Oil Palm fell nine sen each to 45 sen, RM1.62 and RM5.36 respectively, while JobStreet was down eight sen to RM2.22.
The actives included Sanichi, UEM Land, Perisai, Utopia, Astral Supreme and Envair.
