KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 26): The FBM KLCI pared some of its gains at mid-morning today, tracking the quieter regional markets in post-Christmas trade.

At 10am, the FBM KLCI was up 0.34 points to 1,604.57. The index had earlier risen to a high of 1,607.12.

Gainers led losers by 223 to 161, while 269 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 342.85 million shares valued at RM155.55 million.

The gainers included Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Bhd, LPI Capital Bhd, Salutica Bhd, UWC Bhd, Allianz Malaysia Bhd, SAM Engineering & Equipment (M) Bhd, Unisem (M) Bhd, Guan Chong Bhd and Time dotCom Bhd.

The actives included Bumi Armada Bhd, Tiger Synergy Bhd, Sino Hua-An International Bdh, i-Stone Group Bhd, Perdana Petroleum Bhd, JCY International Bhd, Inari Amertron Bhd and WCE Holdings Bhd.

The decliners included Heineken Malaysia Bhd, QL Resources Bhd, Ajinomoto (M) Bhd, G3 Global Bhd, Hong Leong Bank Bhd, Malayan Cement Bhd, Maxis Bhd, Gamuda Bhd and Apollo Food Holdings Bhd.

Bloomberg reported that Asian stocks looked set for another quiet year-end session on Thursday, sitting on an advance of almost 9% for the quarter thanks to ebbing concerns about US-China trade tensions and expectations of a global economic pickup in 2020.

Futures were little changed in Japan and South Korea after many major financial markets were shut for the Christmas holiday. Treasuries will restart trading Thursday after the break. West Texas Intermediate crude will restart trading above US$61 a barrel amid the outlook for solid global growth in 2020. China's yuan is around 7 per US dollar, while the Japanese yen remains stuck between 109 and 110, it said.

JF Apex Securities Research said US markets ended mixed ahead of the Christmas holiday with the Nasdaq climbing to a record high while the S&P was flat and the Dow declined slightly.

It said European stocks advanced to record highs following the year-end rally.

"On the local market, the FBM KLCI lost 9.95 points to 1,604.23 points following profit taking.

"The FBM KLCI could resume its window dressing with resistance at 1,620 points," it said.