KLCI closes below 900 points (17.02.2009)

MALAYSIAN shares fell 1.0 per cent today after investors sold plantation stocks along with Tenaga and Maybank shares, dealers said.

Blue chip plantation, finance and construction related stocks led losses but mild bargain hunting by local funds helped narrow declines in late trade, a dealer said.

Losses on key heavyweights sent the benchmark Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) below the 900-level, losing 8.66 points to end the day at 898.53.

Bursa Malaysia has advised that the FTSE Bursa Malaysia indices (FBM indices) are unavailable for the time being due to a glitch in the price dissemination system.

Decliners led advancers by 332 to 137 while 208 counters were unchanged, 573 still untraded and 35 others suspended.

In moderate trading, turnover today was at 354.749 million shares valued at RM500.331 million, a decline from the 339.514 million shares valued at RM496.341 million on Monday.

Among the decliners, Tenaga lost 3.2 per cent to RM6.10, KL Kepong shed 1.0 per cent to RM10.40 and Maybank fell 1.8 per cent to RM5.40.

On the upside, Puncak Niaga rose 1.1 per cent to RM2.83 while Berjaya Sports Toto added 0.9 per cent to RM4.66.

Shares in energy services firm KNM Group dipped 3.45 per cent to close at 42 sen after AmResearch said it had cut its rating to “hold” from “buy”, citing concerns over order cancellations. - Agencies

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