KUALA LUMPUR: Blue chips fell at the midday break on April 20, dragging the KL Composite Index below the 960 level as the market showed signs of consolidation with Bursa and HLFG among the decliners.

At 12.30pm, the KLCI had fallen 5.88 points to 959.29. Turnover was 372.5 million shares valued at RM379 million. Declining counters beat advancers three to one with 362 losers and 121 gainers while 147 stocks were unchanged.

Among key Asian market, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.44% to 8,868.46 and Singapore’s Straits Times Index lost 0.8% to 1,881.77 but Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 1.1% to 15,774.26 and Shanghai’s Composite Index 1.34% higher at 2,537.49.

Light crude oil fell 91 cents to US$49.42 but crude palm oil futures rose RM53 to RM2,488.

At Bursa, Tasek Cement fell the most, down 60 sen to RM3.20 with 300 shares transacted while TAHPS Group lost 43 sen to RM2.91, YTL-WB 23 sen to RM2.63 and Khee San 16 sen lower to 60 sen.

Among the key stocks, BAT fell 25 sen to RM45.75, Bursa 20 sen to RM6 while HLFG declined 16 sen to RM4.94 and MISC 15 sen to RM8.40.

KNM, which had seen very heavy volume last week, again topped the most active list but volume had declined. It fell 0.5 sen to 52.5 sen with 48.2 million shares done.

Actively traded Axiata was unchanged at RM1.83 and Axiata-OR one sen higher to 61.5 sen.

Aeon Credit was the top gainer, added 22 sen to RM2.95, PPB rose 20 sen to RM10.30, Proton 15 sen higher to RM2.80 while YLI gained 11.5 sen to 72.5 sen.

Batu Kawan, KL Kepong and Genting rose 10 sen each to RM8.35, RM11.30 and RM4.36 respectively.