KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI pulled back on Wednesday as sellers dominated the market amid profit taking activities.

       The 30-stock index closed down 11.97 points, or 0.80% at 1,486.86 after moving between 1,497.80 and 1,486.72 throughout the day.

       Sellers led buyers by 588 to 359, while 497 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 4.97 billion shares, valued at RM2.84bil

       In today’s session, 21 of the KLCI-component stocks closed lower while seven counters chalked up gains.

       According to data on Bursa Malaysia, foreign investors and local retailers disposed of RM35mil and RM26mil worth of equities respectively on Tuesday. Local institutions acquired equities worth RM61mil.

       Rapid, the top loser on Bursa Malaysia, plunged RM7.02, or 30% to RM16.38. The counter has fallen almost 40% in the past one month.

       BLD Plantation slid RM1 to RM10, Imaspro lost 98 sen to RM2.50 and Malaysia Pacific Industries fell 28 sen to RM28.

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       Nestle rose RM1 to RM120, Allianz gained 50 sen to RM19.20, YNH Property added 37 sen to RM3.67 and Hume Cement Industries climbed 19 sen to RM2.67.

       Elsewhere in the region, Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 2.01%, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 0.57%, South Korea’s Kospi closed down 0.75% and Singapore’s Straits Times Index lost 0.56%.