17. Asian markets down, plantations fall

KUALA LUMPUR: Asian markets fell in the morning session Tuesday, as investors feared the widening fallout from the credit market crisis with Hong Kong’s market the worst hit, down 3.4%. At 12.30pm, the KL Composite Index was just barely higher, lifted by key heavyweights on some fund buying but plantations fell. The KLCI was up 0.9 point to 1,128.16 while the FBM Emas added 7.86 points to 7,506.76 but the FBM Second Board lost 5.0 points to 5,342.29. Turnover was at 245.869 million shares valued at RM503.527mil. There were 237 gainers, 235 losers while 198 counters were unchanged. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 3.42% or 747.65 points to 21,165.41, Japan’s Nikkei 225 lost 2.55% to 13,019.57 and Singapore’s Straits Times Index down 1.86% to 2,879.53 but Shanghai’s A Share Index rose 0.17% to 2,933.69. Light crude oil was... [read full story]