KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI closed higher on Friday lifted by last-minute buying in selected index-linked counter.

       At closing, the benchmark index settled 5.61 points, or 0.36% higher at 1,546.76 after moving between 1,541.99 and 1,531.56. For the week, it posted a marginal fall of 2.36 points.

       The broader market displayed its weakness as decliners outpaced advancers, with 535 losers against 400 gainers and 411 counters unchanged. Traded volumes stood at 2.77 billion shares valued at RM2bil.

       Fraser & Neave was the top gainer on Bursa Malaysia, jumping 40 sen to RM21.10, followed by Can-One, which rose 40 sen to RM3.70, Hong Leong Financial Group, which added 22 sen to RM19.48 and Petronas Gas, which gained 22 sen to RM16.70.

       The decliners included Ajinomoto, MISC, Heineken Malaysia and Nestle.

       Among the banks, Maybank added one sen to RM8.99, Public Bank rose two sen to RM4.62, RHB Bank advanced seven sen to RM5.95, CIMB climbed four sen to RM5.05 and Hong Leong Bank gained two sen to RM21.

       Meanwhile, the ringgit was quoted at 43790, up 0.41% against the US dollar.

       Regional markets closed higher today with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng delivering a 2.89% gain to settle at 20,697.36, while China’s Shanghai Composite was up 0.23% to 3,130.24.

       Japan’s Nikkei 225 also added 0.66% to 26,781.68 and South Korea’s Kospi index advanced 0.98% to 2,638.05.