KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI ended lower on Tuesday, with buying interest interspersed with profit-taking.

       The benchmark index edged down 1.35 points to 1,585.81 at closing.

       On the broader market, gainers outnumbered losers by 504 to 403 while 441 counters traded unchanged.

       Trading volume was higher at 3.09 billion shares worth RM2.84bil against 2.44 billion shares valued at RM2.26bil on Monday.

       According to data on Bursa Malaysia, foreign investors and retailers disposed of RM9mil and RM51mil of local equities respectively yesterday. Local institutions acquired RM59mil worth of equities.

       Kuala Lumpur Kepong was the top gainer on Bursa Malaysia, rising 72 sen to RM25.70, followed by PMB Technology, which climbed 48 sen to RM17.36 and

       Farm Fresh made its debut on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia today. The listing, with a market capitalisation of RM2.5bil is the largest IPO on the Bursa Malaysia since June 2021.

       Nestle shed 70 sen to RM135.50, F&N lost 64 sen to RM21.72 and Press Metal fell 36 sen to RM5.99.

       Maybank and RHB Bank fell two sen each to RM8.83 and RM8.93 respectively. Public Bank declined one sen to RM4.62 and CIMB eased five sen to RM5.30.

       Meanwhile, crude oil prices extended gains as some European Union members were reported to be considering imposing sanctions on Russian oil.

       Brent crude futures fell by 0.61%, to US$114.92 a barrel while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell 1.02%, to US$110.98 per barrel.

       On the external front, Japan’s Nikkei 225 closed up 1.48% to 27,224.11 while South Korea’s Kospi added 23.95 points, or 0.89%, at 2,710.00.

       Hong Kong’s Hang Seng advanced 3.15% to 21,889.28.

       China’s CSI300 index was 0.08% lower at 4,255.30 while the Shanghai Composite Index finished 0.18% higher at 3,259.86.