KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI ended higher for the fifth straight trading session to close at its two-month high.

       At closing, the 30-stock index advanced 5.98 points to 1,539.89, its highest since end-October 2021. The index moved between 1,535.86 and 1,542.20 throughout the day.

       Market breadth was positive as gainers overpowered the decliners on a ratio of 592-to-303 stocks. Traded volumes stood at 2.15 billion valued at RM1.65bil.

       In today’s session, 20 of the 30 KLCI-linked counters closed higher, while one was unchanged whereas nine were in the red.

       Nestle led the pack as the biggest gainer, rising 40 sen to RM133.40. Petronas Dagangan added 38 sen to RM20.38, Hong Leong Financial Group gained 34 sen to RM17.60 and PPB climbed 10 sen to RM16.80.

       Meanwhile, Tenaga and Hong Leong Bank fell six sen each to RM9.35 and RM18.60 respectively.

       Maxis and Axiata lost four sen each to RM4.40 and RM3.71 respectively.

       On the broader market, MPI jumped RM1 to RM49.80, Genetec added 68 sen to RM38 and Country Heights rose 45 sen to RM1.98.

       Harrisons fell 21 sen to RM4.79, Heineken lost 12 sen to RM20.58 and United Malacca declined 10 sen to RM5.15.

       Elsewhere in the region, Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average rose 1.37%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.24%, South Korea’s Kospi closed up 0.69% and China’s CSI300 gained 0.74%.