Kuala Lumpur, December 16 – Reversed loss registered earlier in the day, Bursa Malaysia ended in positive note on Friday. The benchmark index FBM KLCI advanced 11.41 points or +0.78% at 1,478.54.
Bucking regional trend, the main index headed north in the afternoon trading session. It was buoyed by buying interest on selected heavyweights.
Most Asian bourses sank and were set for steep weekly losses this week, with technology-heavy indexes losing the most. The sector logged sharp declines this year amid rising interest rates, and is set for little relief in the near-term
Japan’s Nikkei 225 index headed bearishly south as compared to its peers, the index tumbled 1.87% as weak manufacturing activity data battered major industrial stocks.
Whilst Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index ended firmer, gaining 0.42% to 19,450.67 as firms with U.S. listings rose on a more favorable regulatory outlook. Tech giants such as Alibaba Group and JD.com rose after the U.S. accounting watchdog said that it gained full access to audit firms in China, hence reducing the risk of those firms being delisted from U.S. bourses.
** The FTSE BM KLCI opened at 1,461.76. The index fluctuated between 1,459.31 – 1,467.81.
** 409 counters are gainers, 414 counters are unchanged, while 488 counters are decliners.
** Total volume of 3.328 billion shares changed hands; while Turnover of RM 2.24 billion
** The Top 5 Gainers: HEXTECH (15.60, +1.00); KLK (21.76, +0.74); NESTLE (139.00, +0.70); BKAWAN (22.10, +0.66); UTDPLT (15.48, +0.46)
** The Top 5 Losers: F&N (21.80, -0.30); SP500-C22 (0.975, -0.165); IHH (5.80, -0.10); WPRTS (3.50, -0.10); BYD-C13 (0.01, -0.09)
** The Top 5 Active: ASB (0.22, +0.03); BORNOIL (0.025, 0.00); DNEX (0.525, +0.005); SAPNRG (0.04, -0.005); MUIIND (0.085, 0.00)
Singapore’s Straits Times Index (STI) shed 34.66 points or -1.06% to 3,239.09; Hong Kong’s HSI gained 82.08 points or +0.42% at 19,450.67; Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index slumped 524.58 points or -1.87% at 27,527.12; Shanghai’s SSE Composite Index down 0.79 point or -0.025% at 3,167.86; Korea’s Kospi Index dropped 0.95 point or -0.04% at 2,360.02; Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index ceded 56.10 points or -0.78% at 7,148.70.
