Kuala Lumpur, Aug 9 – Bursa Malaysia edged up slightly higher and closed in positive note on Tuesday as the bell-weathered index FBM KLCI up 1.65 points or +0.11% to 1,497.68. The index was lifted by buying interest in the selected heavyweights such as Petronas Gas, Tenaga, TM, Hong Leong and Heineken Malaysia. Most Asian stocks markets closed mixed following the mixed or mildly negative cues from global markets overnight. The Japanese markets appeared to be the laggard amongst its peers. The Nikkei 225 index dived nearly 1% with investment giant Softbank logged a record weak quarterly result and hence was one the worst performers in the Japanese stock market today. Market participants are weighing exposure to both growth and value sectors ahead of US key inflation data on Wednesday. The CPI is expected to come in at 8.7% for July according to consensus, down slightly from the 9.1% seen in the previous month. It should be noted that inflation would still remain at its highest level in forty decades even if it is dipped to 8.7%.
** The FTSE BM KLCI opened at 1,498.52. The index fluctuated between 1,495.30– 1,501.03.
** 373 counters are gainers, 466 counters are unchanged, while 395 counters are losers.
** Total volume of 2,523,571,800 shares changed hands; while Turnover of RM 1,259,187,252
** The Top 5 Gainers: AMLEX (0.70, +0.24) ; F&N (22.78, +0.22) ; PETGAS (17.30, +0.18) ; BAT (10.36, +0.14) ; PMBTECH-WA (2.63, +0.13)
** The Top 5 Losers: NESTLE (134.70, -2.10) ; MPI (31.90, -0.50) ; RAPID (12.80, -0.30) ; HSI-CJ3 (0.005, -0.195) ; SAM (4.08, -0.15)
** The Top 5 Most Active Stocks: G3 (0.04, UNCHANGED) ; MTRONIC (0.055, -0.01) ; HSI-HB9 (0.265, -0.015); DNEX (0.89, UNCHANGED) ; MYEG (0.785, UNCHANGED)
* Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI) shed 11.90 points or -0.36% to 3,270.98; Hong Kong’s HSI ceded 42.33 points or -0.21% at 20,003.44 ; Japan’s Nikkei 225 dived 249.28 points or -0.88% at 27,999.96; Korea’s Kospi Index up 10.36 points or +0.42% at 2,503.46; Shanghai’s SSE Index rose 10.50 points or +0.32% at 3,247.43; Australia’s ASX 200 rose 9.20 points or +0.13% at 7029.80.
