KUALA LUMPUR: The broader market showed some signs of consolidation at the midday break on June 15 with profit taking seen in lower liners and penny stocks.

At 12.30pm, the KL Composite Index was up 2.97 points or 0.27% to 1,093.12, supported by gains in Nestle and Genting.

Turnover was 1.07 billion shares valued at RM884.85 million. There were 296 gainers, 348 losers and 202 counters unchanged.

Key Asian markets fell. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 1.5%to 18,606.15, Singapore’s Straits Times Index shed 1.6% to 2,339.19, Japan’s Nikkei 225 lost 0.8% to 10,054.6 and the Shanghai Composite Index 0.2% lower at 2,738.26.

Light crude oil was trading at US$71.40, down 64 cents while crude palm oil third-month futures lost RM29 to RM2,421.

At Bursa, Nestle rose the most after The Edge FinancialDaily reported that nestle SA would continue to invest in Southeast Asia while Malaysia has become the group’s main halal food hub. Nestle added 50 sen to RM31.75 with 13,000 shares done.

Genting rose 10 sen to RM5.90. The Edge FinancialDaily reported that global casino operator MGM Mirage Inc has held discussions with Genting group on the latter’s possible participation in the Macau operations.

LPI added 20 sen to RM11.10, Tajong 10 sen to RM13.50 while up 10 sen also were Public Bank foreign and Petronas Gas to RM9.05 and RM9.80.

KYM rose 20 sen to 99 sen with 2.08 million units done. FarmBest added 19 sen to 69.5 sen

Penny property stocks were mixed, with Mulpha rising 2.5 sen to 65.5 sen and it was the most active with 51 million units traded. Equine rose three sen to 70 sen and Mulpha-WA 0.5 sen to 15 sen but Tebrau shed 0.5 sen to 97.5 sen. MRCB eased two sen to RM1.43.

Jerneh-WA fell the most, plunging 29 sen to nine sen with 1,500 units transacted. BAT shed 25 sen to RM44, Paos 17 sen to 87 sen and Glenealy 14 sen to RM3.62. MAS gave up 12 sen to RM3.14 after reporting losses in the first quarter.