KUALA LUMPUR: Hong Leong Bank and Genting counters underpinned the FBM KLCI rebounded towards the close of trade on Wednesday after spending nearly the whole day languishing in the red.

At 5pm, the KLCI was was up 2.6 points or 0.14% 1,828.63. Turnover was 4.97 billion shares valued at RM2.79bil. 

The broader market was weaker as decliners beat advancers two to one with 678 losers and 321 gainers while 390 counters were unchanged.

The ringgit climbed among the key currencies. It rose 0.1% against the US dollar to 3.9535; it edged up 0.1% to the pound sterling to 5.4465; it also climbed 0.17% to the euro to 4.8345 and edged up 0.16% to the Singapore dollar to 2.9861.

Bit coin was trading at US$10,496.

On the external front, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose to a fresh closing peak on Wednesday, aided by continued strength in index heavyweight Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEx), Reuters reported. 

China stocks ended mixed on Wednesday, with gains in banking and infrastructure firms offset by losses in consumer and real estate shares. 

At Bursa Malaysia, Hong Leong Bank rose 58 sen to RM17.80 and powered the KLCI up 2.23 points. RHB Bank added seven sen to RM5.25, Maybank three sen to RM9.88, Public Bank was flat at RM20.88 while AmBank fell five sen to RM4.75. 

Genting Bhd added 13 sen to RM9.61 and Genting Malaysia eight sen higher at RM5.57. MISC added four sen to RM7.44.

As for telcos, Telekom rose 11 sen to RM6.11, Digi five sen to RM4.82, Maxis two sen to RM6.02 while Axiata was flat at RM5.55.

US light crude oil fell 16 cents to US$63.57 and Brent was 27 cents lower to US$68.88.

Among the oil and gas stocks, Petronas Gas continued to lost ground, down 42 sen to RM17.94 and erased 1.47 points. Petronas Chemicals and Petronas Dagangan shed two sen each to RM8.17 and RM24.70.

Sime Property rose three sen to RM1.55, Sime Darby inched up one sen to RM2.72 while Sime Plantation was flat at RM5.50.

As for consumer stocks, Nestle added 50 sen to RM106.60 but BAT fell 60 sen to RM32.60. 

Top Glove continued to attract strong interest, climbing 24 sen to RM9.

Penny oil stocks fell with Sumatec down two sen to 10 sen, Perisai 1.5 sen to 7.5 sen, UMW OG lost two sen to 38.5 sen while Sapura Energy fell 3.5 sen to 81 sen.

Hengyuan fell 54 sen to RM13.80 and Petron was 14 sen lower at RM12.14.