KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 29): The FBM KLCI ended the morning session of the final trading day of the third quarter of 2017, on a relatively muted note.

At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI ticked up 0.76 points to 1,758.82. The index had earlier dipped to its intra-morning low of 1,754.11.

Based on the midday close, the benchmark FBM KLCI was still down some 14 points month-on-month in September and poised to end the month on a weaker note.

Losers led gainers by 330 to 249, while 486 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 864.75 million shares, valued at RM610.99 million.

The top gainers this morning included Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Bhd, Magni-Tech Industries Bhd, Heineken Malaysia Bhd, Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd, British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, Hengyuan Refining Company Bhd, Southern Acids (M) Bhd, Inari Amertron Bhd, Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Bhd, Petronas Gas Bhd, Genting Bhd and Genting Malaysia Bhd.

The actives included Hiap Teck Venture Bhd, Hubline Bhd, Hibiscus Petroleum Bhd, Trive Property Group Bhd, UMW Oil & Gas Corp Bhd, Dagang NeXchange Bhd and Tiger Synergy Bhd.

The decliners included Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd, Rapid Synergy Bhd, Nestle (M) Bhd, Boustead Heavy Industries Corp Bhd, Mega First Corp Bhd, Hai-O Enterprise Bhd, Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd and Hiap Teck.

Asian shares regained some poise on Friday, after a tough week in which the gathering risk of a U.S. rate rise lifted Treasury yields toward nine-year highs and boosted borrowing costs across the region, according to Reuters.

Activity was mainly confined to book-squaring for the end of the month and quarter, and moves in markets were modest at best, Reuters said.

CIMB Retail Research said the local bourse extended its losses for the eighth consecutive day on foreign fund selling and also on a weaker ringgit against the US dollar.

It said the recent movement appears to be moving against our view.

“Given the sliding indicators, the index is now testing the critical support level of 1,757.

“Breaking below the said support would likely kick-start a correction. Meanwhile, as we mentioned earlier, USD seems to be appreciating against ringgit.

“Watch out for the export-oriented counters. Resistance: 1,770 & 1,780. Support: 1,757 & 1,742,” the research house said.