KUALA LUMPUR (July 15): The FBM KLCI notched up limited gains at mid-morning today ahead of the holiday-shortened trading week on Bursa Malaysia.

At 10am, the FBM KLCI rose 4.21 points to 1,725.31.

The top gainers included British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, Tasco Bhd, Cycle & Carriage Bintang Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, Quality Concrete Bhd, PPB Group Bhd, DKSH (M) Holdings Bhd, Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd, Aeon Credit Services (M) Bhd, AMMB Holdings Bhd, Public Bang Bhd and Harbour-Link Group Bhd.

The actively traded stocks included APFT Bhd, Kinsteeel Bhd, KNM Group Bhd, Scanwolf Corporation Bhd, JHM Consolidation Bhd, AirAsia Bhd and Perisai Petroleum Bhd.

The top losers included Hong Leong Bank Bhd, Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd, Century Bond Bhd, Media Prima Bhd, V.S. Industry Bhd and Protasco Holdings Bhd.

Asian stocks inched cautiously higher on Wednesday, taking their cue from Wall Street ahead of key events including Chinese economic data, a Bank of Japan policy decision and congressional testimony by the U.S. Federal Reserve chief, according to Reuters.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged up 0.1 percent, while Japan's Nikkei stock index advanced 0.5 percent in early trade, it said.

BIMB Securities Research said key regional indexes ended mostly higher with sharp increase in Japan after Greece and its euro zone creditors agreed on a cash-for-reform deal while China and Hong Kong ended lower.

It said that locally, the FBM KLCI ended higher on thin volume, added 4.99 points or 0.29% to 1,721.10, lifted mainly by banking and telco stocks.

“Trading participation saw net selling by local institutions and retail while foreign institutions were net buyers.

“We reckon the local market to continue its uptrend momentum with the improved investor sentiment and expect to see immediate resistance at 1,725/30,” it said.