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 pares down losses at mid-day, broader market stays weak

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 3): The FBM KLCI pared down some its losses at the mid-day break on Friday, in line with the limited losses at key regional markets.

The FBM KLCI was down 0.24 of a point to 1,536.85 at the mid-day break.

The broader market was weaker with losers leading gainers by 449 to 298, while 335 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 1.32 billion shares valued at RM1.03 billion.

The ringgit weakened 0.13% to 3.0224 versus the US dollar; crude palm oil futures for the third month delivery was flat at RM3,050 per tonne, crude oil added 14 cents a barrel to US$96.50 while gold fell US$3.20 an ounce to US$1,756.27.

Hong Kong and China shares were weaker at midday in thin Friday trade, but losses on the benchmark indexes were limited by chart support levels with investors cautious ahead of fresh U.S. employment data later in the day, according to Reuters.

At the regional markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 was down 0.14% to 8,864.48, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index shed 0.10% to 20,719.20, the Shanghai Composite Index was down 0.07% to 2,310.87, South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.87% to 1,966.95, while Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.80% to 2,924.35 and Taiwan’s Taiex added 0.16% to 7,664.83.

On Bursa Malaysia, KLK fell 56 sen to RM25.04, Dutch Lady was down 36 sen to RM25.24, DKSH 20 sen to RM1.91, SapuraCrest and Genting shed 18 sen each to RM5 and RM10.98, F&N 16 sen to RM17.66, PPB 12 sen to RM17.08, Kamdar 10.5 sen to 37.5 sen, Toyo Ink nine sen to RM1.60 an d APM eight sen to RM4.50.

Gainers this morning included United PLANTATION []s, Tradewinds, MalPac, GAB, TDM, Sime Darby, BLD Plantations, Delloyd, BAT and Petronas Gas, while the actives included Nicorp, Mah Sing, JCY, DBE Gurney, Compugates, DRB-Hicom and Maxbiz.



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