KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 3): The FBM KLCI closed 7.72 points or 0.46% higher today on bargain hunting after the substantial decline yesterday.

Today, the KLCI closed at 1,675.83 at 5pm after investors bargain hunted for stocks including Sime Darby Plantation Bhd. Yesterday, the KLCI ended down 22.47 points at 1,668.11.

Today, Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd senior analyst Kenneth Leong told theedgemarket.com: “The positive sentiment was mainly spurred by bargain hunting activities after the more than 20 point selloff in the previous session.”

Among the 30 KLCI stocks today, Sime Darby Plantation was the biggest gainer in percentage terms after the shares closed up 16 sen or 3.52% at RM4.71.

Across Bursa Malaysia, 1.76 billion shares worth RM1.22 billion were traded. Top gainers included KLCI stocks Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd and and Tenaga Nasional Bhd.

Bursa Malaysia leading decliners included Globetronics Technology Bhd after Apple Inc's revenue warning hit world stock markets. Globetronics closed down 24 sen or 13.95% at RM1.48 while Bursa Malaysia's technology index fell 1.31 points or 4.53% to 27.64.    

Globally, Reuters reported that US stock futures fell and Asian shares stumbled on Thursday after a rare revenue warning from Apple added to worries about slowing global growth and weaker earnings and jolted currency markets. It was reported that Apple blamed fewer iPhone upgrades and slowing sales in China in its most recent quarter, its first such warning since 2007. Its shares tumbled in after-hours trade.