KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 5): The FBM KLCI managed to cling on to its gains at the midday break today despite losing counters outpacing gainers ahead of the extended weekend for the Lunar New year festivities.

At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI was up 5.83 points at 1,662.60.

Losers led gainers by 380 to 281, while 286 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 776.93 million shares valued at RM715.58 million.

The top gainers included Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd, Panasonic Malaysia Manufacturing Bhd, British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, Petronas Gas Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, Aeon Credit Services (M) Bhd, Cycle & Carriage Bintang Bhd, Genting Bhd and LPI Capital Bhd.

The actively traded stocks included Tiger Synergy Bhd, XOX Bhd, Hibiscus Petroleum Bhd, APFT Bhd, AirAsia X Bhd, Hubline Bhd and EKA Noodles Bhd.

The decliners included Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd, PPB Group Bhd, Lafarge Malaysia Bhd, Karex Bhd, Lay Hong Bhd, MBM Resources Bhd and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd.

Asian equities were subdued on Friday and the dollar wobbled ahead of the closely watched US jobs report, which could provide clues on the Federal Reserve's monetary policy outlook, according to Reuters.

Shanghai shares crept up 0.1%, South Korea's Kospi shed 0.1% and Australian shares lost 0.7%, it said.

AffinHwang Capital Research said uncertainties remain despite strong month end closing.

The research house said that this week stocks in Bursa Malaysia are anticipated to firm up with a slight upward bias.

"Concerns over China's slowdown, global growth prospect and sliding commodity prices remain.

"Fresh concerns emerged on the possible massive write downs, bond/loans defaults as a result of current plunge in commodity prices.

"Technically, both short- and medium-term trends remain downwards," it said.