KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 31): The FBM KLCI looked poised to end 2018 on a positive note as it edged higher at mid-morning on the final trading day of the year, tracking regional markets.

At 10am, the FBM KLCI added 4.89 points to 1,696.96.

Gainers led losers by 285 to 131, while 221 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 359.31 million shares valued at RM160.72 million.

The gainers included Nestle (M) Bhd, Hong Leong Bank Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, MISC Bhd, Sime Darby Bhd, Top Glove Corp Bhd and Teo Guan Lee Corp Bhd.

The actives included Hubline Bhd, Destini Bhd, My EG Services Bhd, Iris Corp Bhd, Jag Bhd and Sapura Energy Bhd.

The decliners included Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd, Scientex Bhd, PPB Group Bhd, Encorp Bhd, Batu Kawan Bhd and Malaysia-listed Hang Seng Index-linked put warrants.

Asian stocks crept higher on Monday as hints of progress on the Sino-US trade standoff provided a rare glimmer of optimism in what has been a rough year-end for equities globally, according to Reuters.

Survey data out of China, however, proved unhelpfully mixed with manufacturing activity contracting for the first time in two years even as the service sector improved, it said.