KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI ended firmer today driven by buying interest in selected index-related counters and second liners.
The 30-stock index rose 4.85 points, or 0.31% to 1,544.71 after moving between 1,547.48 and 1,540.77.
There were 523 gainers, 465 losers and 474 counters traded unchanged on the Bursa Malaysia. Turnover stood at 3.65 billion shares valued at RM2.7bil.
Dealers said continued buying in selected heavyweights pushed the key index to finish higher amid a mixed regional markets.
Ge-Shen, the top gainer on Bursa Malaysia, jumped 25.09%, or 69 sen to RM3.44. Heineken added 24 sen to RM23.08, Theta Edge gained 21 sen to RM1.43 and F&N rose 20 sen to RM29.22.
HeiTech Padu rose 54 sen, or 22.04% to RM2.99 with 6.34 million shares traded after My E.G. Services Bhd acquired 14.40% stake in the former for RM31.25mil cash.
Among the losers, Nestle tumbled RM1.40 to RM120.60, Ajinomoto slid 38 sen to RM19, Microlink fell 30 sen to RM53 sen and PPB gave up 18 sen to RM15.26.
Elsewhere in the region, MSCI's Asia ex-Japan stock index was lower by 0.11%.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was up 1.43% at 16,587.57.
China’s CSI 300 index was up 1.25% to 3,589.26 while the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.74% to 3,068.46.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 slid 2.19% to 38,820.49 while South Korea’s Kospi closed down 0.77% at 2,659.84.