KUALA LUMPUR
Share prices on Bursa Malaysia closed steadier today lifted by late buying on banking and plantation stocks as well as other bluechips, dealers said.

At 5pm, the benchmark Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) gained 4.92 points or 0.38 per cent to 1,285.27 after opening higher by 2.25 points at 1,282.60.

The Industrial Index edged up 8.37 points to 2,699.87, the Finance Index rose 96 points to 10,019.1 and the Plantation Index increased 42.88 points to 7,720.98.

Of the FTSE-BM Index series, the FBMEmas rose 33.25 points to 8,649.02 and the FBM30 added 29.07 points to 8,340.18. The FBM2BRD declined 13.30 points to 5,854.35 and the FBM-MDQ eased 16.57 points to 4,873.83.

Losers led gainers by 351 to 310 today while 299 counters were unchanged, 463 untraded and 27 suspended.

Trading volume increased to 509.863 million shares valued at RM1.018 billion (S$435 million) from 486.412 million shares worth RM1.132 billion yesterday

SHANGHAI
Chinese stocks fell more than 1 per cent in active trade on Friday, despite fresh signs of government support, because of fears that higher inflation could soon prompt an interest rate hike.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose over 1 per cent in early trade but closed down 1.19 per cent at 3,613.494 points, off an intra-day low of 3,552.473.

Losing stocks in Shanghai outnumbered gainers by 495 to 389, while turnover in Shanghai A shares expanded to 128.5 billion yuan (S$25.17 billion) from Thursday?s 108.4 billion yuan.

HONG KONG
Hong Kong stocks fell 1.52 per cent on Friday, tracking losses in regional markets, as investors fretted over the outlook for China?s economy after Vice Premier Wang Qishan said inflation was the country?s biggest economic problem.

Wang reaffirmed that the government would stick to a tight monetary policy to help cool an economy that has grown by double-digits for five years, helping to push Shanghai stocks 1.2 per cent lower.

For the week, the index fell 4.5 per cent. The benchmark Hang Seng Index closed down 1.52 per cent, or 386.62 points, at 25,063.17. The main index has dropped nearly 10 per cent so far this year and is about 20 per cent off an all-time high hit in October.

The China Enterprises Index of Hong Kong-listed mainland companies, or H shares, fell 1.61 per cent to end at 13,662.58.

Mainboard turnover rose slightly to HK$77.27 billion (S$13.6billion) from HK$76.95 billion on Thursday.

TOKYO
Japan's Nikkei stock average fell 2.1 per cent on Friday, marking its first weekly decline in eight weeks, dragged down by exporters such as Honda Motor and Canon on a stronger yen.

Toyota Motor lost 3.3 per cent after the world's biggest automaker forecast a larger-than-expected profit decline.

The market extended its falls in the afternoon, after Takeda Pharmaceutical slid further after the company said it expects a sharp fall in annual income for this year.

The benchmark Nikkei average ended down 287.92 points at 13,655.34. The index fell 2.8 per cent in a week shortened by national holidays.

The broader TOPIX index shed 2.3 per cent to 1,341.76. -- REUTERS, AFP