KUALA LUMPUR: Despite a positive start with a higher opening, the FBM KLCI eventually faced mild profit-taking, ending the day in negative territory.
The market bellwether closed down 3.52 points, or 0.21% to 1,665.30 after moving between 1,671.62 and 1,658.48.
Market breadth turned negative as losers overpowered the gainers on a ratio of 675-to-458 stocks. Traded volumes stood at 3.36 billion shares worth RM3.2bil.
Laggards among the FBM KLCI component stocks were Nestle tumbling RM1.10 to RM100.70, PETRONAS Dagangan skidding 92 sen to RM18.04 and Kuala Lumpur Kepung shedding 22 sen to RM20.48.
Maybank and Tenaga Nasional added 10 sen each to RM10.70 and RM14.74.
On the broader market, Hong Leong Industries rose 34 sen to RM13.78, Dutch Lady
gained 30 sen to RM31.30 and Oriental Holdings added 23 sen to RM7.28.
Malaysian Pacific Industries lost 40 sen to RM27.20, Carlsberg fell 24 sen to RM19.26 and BAT declined 21 sen to RM7.79.
Meanwhile, the ringgit was quoted at 4.2083, down 0.11% against the US dollar, and 0.03% lower against the Singapore dollar at 3.2544.
Reuters reported that the ringgit is on track for a blockbuster quarter, having appreciated by about 12% in the September quarter so far. If the trend continues, this would mark the currency's best three-month performance since January 1973.
Asian bourses closed broadly higher today, with Japan's Nikkei 225 adding 1.53% to 37,723.91, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng closed down 0.06% at 18,247.11, South Korea’s Kospi advanced 0.33% to 2,602.01 and China’s Shanghai Composite Index added 0.44% to 2,748.92.
