KLCI snaps winning streak, drops below 1,600-level

KUALA LUMPUR (April 4): The FBM KLCI snapped its winning streak on Wednesday and fell below the 1,600-point level, in line with the retreat at most global markets after on generally weaker sentiment at key regional markets following the overnight dip at Wall Street.

The FBM KLCI fell 7.36 points to close at 1,599.27, weighed by losses and banking and select blue chips.

"Stocks and the euro fell on Wednesday after the US Federal Reserve dimmed hopes for fresh asset-buying, further underlining its divergence with an embattled Europe that remains in crisis-fighting mode," according to Reuters.

Overnight minutes from the Fed's March meet showed less support for more quantitative easing (QE), or bond-buying, in the face of improved economic data, which buoyed the dollar and hit stocks in both the United States and Asia, it said.

With Europe still battling its debt crisis and struggling with economic growth, the focus later will be on the European Central Bank's latest rate-setting meeting, with rates expected to remain on hold at 1%, said Reuters.

At the regional markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 2.29% to 9,819.99, South Korea’s Kospi fell 1.60% to 2,018.61, and Taiwan’s Taiex lost 1.3% to 7,760.85, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index

The Hong Kong and Shanghai markets were closed for a public holiday.

On Bursa Malaysia, among the banking stocks, CIMB and RHB Capital lost nine sen each to RM7.72 and RM7.74, Hong Leong Bank and HLFG lost eight sen each to RM12.38 and RM12.48, AMMB down six sen to RM6.32, while Public Bank shed two sen to RM13.78.

Among the other decliners, BAT fell 64 sen to RM55.58, Dutch lady down 44 sen to RM35.50, Carlsberg fell 20 sen to RM10.60, F&N 18 sen to RM19, Sarawak Oil Palms 13 sen to RM6.81, while BLD PLANTATION []s, Cepco, Shell, Tenaga and PPB fell 10 sen each to RM9.15, RM1.55, RM10.18, RM6.47 and RM16.60 respectively.

GAB was the top gainer and rose 16 sen to RM13.20, Milux gained 15 sen to RM1.40, GBH 13 sen to RM1.25, Kamdar 12.5 sen to 49.5 sen, Malpac and JCY 10 sen each to RM1.59 and RM1.29, Tradewinds Plantations nine sen to RM4.94, Kurasia 6.5 sen to 63.5 sen and Tradewinds up six sen to RM9.60.

The actives included Ingenuity Solutions, Metronic, Cerotech, ManagePay, Naim Indah Corp, Ariantec, JCY and SuperComNet.



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KLCI up on late buying of Genting, Tenaga

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 13): Blue chips closed higher in late trade on Monday, nudged up by gains in GENTING BHD [], Tenaga and PLANTATION [] stocks, in line with the firmer regional markets and European bourses after Greece voted in favour of the austerity bill.

The KLCI was in the red most of the day and managed to rebound towards the last half-hour of trade. It closed 1.16 points or 0.07% higher at 1,562.82. Turnover was 2.66 billion shares valued at RM2.12 billion. There were 364 gainers, 517 losers and 321 stocks unchanged.

Greece approved the deeply unpopular austerity bill to help secure a second bailout, even as riots in central Athens and violence across the country raised doubts about implementation of the approved spending cuts, Reuters reported.

Asian markets posted modest gains on the news, extending their bright start to the year. However, turnover declined from last week, suggesting that some players were cautious about chasing the rally further.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.58% to 8,999.18, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.5% to 20,887.40, Taiwan’s Taiex 0.64% to 7,912.91, South Korea’s Kospi 0.6% to 2,005.74 and Singapore’s Straits Times Index 0.54% to 2,975.98. Shanghai’s Composite Index was flat at 2,351.85.

US light crude oil rose US$1.18 to US$99.85. The ringgit strengthened 0.0069 to 3.0248 against the US dollar.

At Bursa Malaysia, with Monday being the T+3 settlement day after the huge volume on Wednesday, saw some mild selling pressure in lower liners and penny stocks. The broader market weakened somewhat with profit taking picking up pace.

Genting Bhd rose 20 sen to RM10.50 and Tenaga eight sen to RM6.19, adding 2.77 points to the KLCI. BAT was the top gainer, up RM1.20 to RM51.50.

Plantations were given a boost with third-month delivery up RM38 to RM3,168 per tonne. United Plantations added 50 sen to RM22.50, KLK 50 sen also to RM25.98 and BLD Plantations 41 sen to RM10.08.

Compugates was the most active with 272.28 million shares done, up one sen to 13 sen. Talk of a corporate exercise saw Time adding 5.5 sen to 40.5 sen. Hopes of higher offer price saw Tebrau Teguh adding 2.5 sen to 91.5 sen.

Naim Indah Corp fell 11 sen to 56 sen with 196.26 million units done. The share price had surged from 9.0 sen on Feb 2 on expectations of a corporate exercise. It resumed trading on Monday after announcing last Friday it proposed to acquire 60% in Sagajuta (Sabah) Sdn Bhd for an indicative price of RM240 million from Generasi Cipta Sdn Bhd.

Petronas Dagangan fell 18 sen to RM18.78, GBH 17 sen to RM1.09 and Ekovest 16 sen to RM2.77. DRB-Hicom eased 11 sen to RM2.87.



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