KUALA LUMPUR: After hitting an all-time of 5.1 billion of shares traded on Bursa Malaysia on Tuesday, the volume is set to scale to new highs, supported by the frenzied buying of penny stocks.

However, the broader market is showing signs of weakening with decliners beating advancers five to three at the midday break.

At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI was up 1.21 points or 0.06% to 1,873.37. Turnover was 3.90 billion shares valued at RM1.31bil. There were 302 gainers, 505 losers and 319 counters unchanged.

Globaltec jumped 3.5 sen to 14 sen with 716.34 million shares done while Marco added two sen to 25.5 sen on a volume of 271.74 million units.

Hubline added one sen to 5.5 sen with 268.53 million shares and PDZ extended its rally, rising 2.5 sen to 40 sen with 230.36 million shares.

Petronas Gas was the top gainer, adding 48 sen to RM23.12 while Petronas Dagangan added 32 sen to RM21.88.

BAT rose 42 sen to RM71.88 and UMW 16 sen to RM12.46. Parkson rose 12 sen to RM2.99 as investors were positive on its asset disposal which would result in a gain of about RM110mil.

KPJ Healthcare rose 12 sen to RM3.70. RAM Rating Services Bhd has lowered the outlook on the long-term rating of KPJ Healthcare unit, Point Zone (M) Sdn Bhd's RM500mil debt notes from stable to negative.

Crude palm oil (CPO) for third month delivery fell RM6 to RM2,062 extending the decline on worries about rising stockpiles and slowing exports. The KL Plantations Index fell 14.09 points to 8,774.79.

Sarawak Oil Palms fell the most, down 20 sen to RM5.90, Genting Plantations lost 10 sen to RM10.22, Far East eight sen to RM7.52 and Kulim six sen to RM3.40. TH Plantations lost three sen to RM1.89 and TSH Resources two sen to RM3.33.

However, KL Kepong rose four sen to RM23.10 and PPB Group two sen to RM15. United Plantations gained 28 sen to RM27.78 with 13,700 shares done.

The ringgit weakened slightly against the US dollar to 3.1665 from the previous close of 3.1563.

Among the key regional markets,

Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.09% to 15,464.39;

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was up 0.01% to 25,124.73;

Shanghai's Composite Index fell 0.11% to 2,242.96;

Taiwan's Taiex rose 0.22% to 9,264.44;

South Korea's Kospi fell 0.3% to 2,065.03 and

Singapore's Straits Times Index rose 0.41% to 3,330.03.

US light crude oil rose 89 cents to US$95.37 and Brent fell three cents to US$101.53.

Spot gold fell US$1.23 ro US$1,294.51.

From: The Star Online