KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI finished lower on Tuesday as investors decided to take some money off the table after seven consecutive days of gains.
The market barometer closed down 5.93 points, or 0.36% at 1,642.77. It hit an intraday high of 1,660.29 early.
Market breadth turned negative as losers outpaced gainers on a ratio of 857-to-357 stocks. Traded volume rose to 4.2 billion shares valued at RM4.55bil as investors locked in recent gains.
Dealers anticipated profit-taking after the recent rally and expected market sentiment to remain supported.
Nestle was the top loser on Bursa Malaysia falling RM1.10 to RM104. Kuala Lumpur Kepong eased 40 sen to RM20.70, PETRONAS Dagangan slid 38 sen to RM18.62 and YTL Power declined 34 sen to RM3.86.
Dutch Lady
jumped 82 to RM31.94, Carlsberg gained 54 sen to RM19.24, Heineken added 38 sen to RM23.46 and Hong Leong Financial Group gained 32 sen to RM18.16.
Meanwhile, the ringgit continued to strengthen against the US dollar, rising 0.09% to 4.3787.
Brent crude fell 71 cents to US$76.95 a barrel while US West Texas Intermediate crude was last traded at US$73.61 per barrel, down 76 cents.
Elsewhere in the region, Asian shares closed higher with Japan’s Nikkei 225 rising 1.80% wile South Korea’s Kospi gaining 0.83%.
Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong closed down 0.33% and China’s CSI300 index fell 0.72%.
