KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI spent the day vacillating between gains and losses before closing on a positive note on Tuesday.

       The benchmark index closed up 1.89 points, or 0.12% to 1,583.48 after rising to an intraday high of 1,586.37.

       There were 633 gainers, 439 losers and 424 counters traded unchanged on the Bursa Malaysia. Turnover stood at 4.74 billion shares valued at RM2.88bil.

       In today’s session, 16 of the KLCI-component stocks were traded higher while 11 counters declined while three counters remained unchanged.

       According to data on Bursa Malaysia, foreign investors and retailers were net buyers on the market to the tune of RM72mil and RM11mil respectively on Monday. Local institutions were net sellers at RM83mil.

       Among the 30 FBM KLCI constituents, Nestle rose 80 sen to RM134.70, Press Metal added 29 sen to RM5.80 and Kuala Lumpur Kepong gained 20 sen to RM21.

       Petronas Gas gained 18 sen to RM16.80 and Petronas Dagangan added 16 sen to RM19.96.

       Hong Leong Financial Group shed 22 sen to RM18.28, Hap Seng fell 17 sen to RM8.68 and IOI Corp declined seven sen to RM3.93.

       Maybank fell six sen to RM8.27, CIMB declined five sen to RM4.91 and Petronas Chemicals lost five sen to RM8.05.

       Laggards on the broader market include Fraser & Neave, ViTrox, KESM Industries, Kobay and Greatech.

       Meanwhile, Brent crude was up 23 cents at US$72.45 a barrel while US crude oil was down 26 cents to US$69.03 per barrel.

       Among the key regional markets:

       Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed up 0.86% to 29,916.14 ;

       Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.73% to 26,353.63;

       Shanghai Composite Index added 1.51% to 3,676.59;

       Taiwan’s Taiex fell 0.38% to 17,428.87;

       South Korea’s Kospi closed down 0.5% to 3,187.42 and;

       Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.14% to 3,105.44 points.