KL shares end on weaker note

Share prices on Bursa Malaysia closed on a weaker note today in moderate trading on profit-taking in most consumer stocks, dealers said.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 5.48 points to end at 1,640.74.

The benchmark index, which opened at 1,645.83, hovered between 1,635.87 and 1,645.83 throughout the day.

British American Tobacco and UMW Holdings were among the top losers, down RM2.72 and 40 sen to close at RM59.88 and RM12.96, respectively.

On the regional front, the Asian bourses were traded mixed as concerns over China’s economic outlook weighed on appetite for growth-linked assets.

"Investors remained cautious despite Wall Street's nine-day gain and a bump up in the US retail sales," a dealer said.

Decliners led advancers by 344 to 321, with 334 counters unchanged, 635 untraded and 20 others suspended.

Total volume rose to 788.2 million shares valued at RM1.6 billion from 766.76 million shares valued at RM1.65 billion yesterday.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 62.53 points to 22,619.18.

The Jakarta Composite fell 49.07 points to 4,786.37, Shanghai Composite lost 6.31 points to 2,270.28 and Straits Times Index fell 7.29 points to 3,281.23.

On the local front, the Finance Index dropped 12.31 points to 15,290.05, Plantation Index fell 9.89 points to 7,910.26 and the Industrial Index erased 20.74 points to 2,843.05.

The FBM Emas Index slipped 28.74 points to 11,223.48, FBMT100 fell 31.53 points to 11,064.89 and the FBM Mid 70 Index lost 10.8 points to 12,466.63.

The FBM Ace Index, however, rose 0.74 point to 3,973.24.

Among heavyweights, Maybank advanced two sen to RM9.21 and Axiata rose three sen to RM6.39.

CIMB and Sime Darby gave up two sen each to RM7.09 and RM9.19, respectively.

Of the gainers, Dutch Lady Milk improved 88 sen to RM47.48, Pharmaniaga rose 21 sen to RM8.10, MBf Holdings increased 20 sen to RM1.72 and Oriental Holdings gained 18 sen to RM9.24.

For the actives, Sanichi Technologies and Patimas Computers were flat at 11.5 sen and 3.5 sen, respectively.

GPRO Technologies eased half sen to 12 sen. Digistar Corp-ORD earned half sen to 6.5 sen.

Volume on the Main Market slipped to 603.05 million shares valued at RM1.57 billion from 619.42 million shares valued at RM1.63 billion yesterday.

Turnover on the ACE market rose to 165.7 million units worth RM13.5 million from 127.47 million units worth RM14.42 million previously.

Warrants advanced to 17.68 million shares valued at RM1.84 million from 17.64 million shares valued at RM1.6 million on Wednesday.

Consumer products accounted for 25.73 million shares on the Main Market, industrial products 78.31 million, construction 30.66 million, trade and services 183.26 million, technology 89.02 million, infrastructure 25.84 million, finance 66.34 million, hotels 166,700, properties 70.3 million, plantations 18.73 million, mining 64,000, REITs 14.48 million and closed/fund 140,600.-- Bernama