KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI pulled back on Friday, tracking regional markets ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s speech.

At 5pm, the FBM KLCI was down 0.26 of a point to 1,444.41, taking its full-week drop to 0.11%. The index had earlier risen to a high of 1,445.93.

Selling was widespread with 547 counters closing lower as opposed to 395 gainers while 411 counters closed unchanged. Traded volumes stood at 3.7 billion shares worth RM2.7bil.

On the 30-stock FBM KLCI, there were 16 decliners against 11 advancers.

Among the losers, Nestle slid RM1.30 to RM129.40, Kuala Lumpur Kepong lost 66 sen to RM21.74, Heineken fell 56 sen to RM24.92 and Malaysian Pacific Industries eased 28 sen to RM26.72.

Malaysia Airports Holdings rose 27 sen to RM7.20, Hap Seng added 14 sen to RM3.66, Tropicana Corp gained 14 sen to RM1.25 and YTL Power climbed 13 sen to RM1.88.

Meanwhile, the ringgit was quoted at 4.6425, up 0.08% against the US dollar.

US West Texas Intermediate crude rose US$1.10 to US$80.15 and Brent gained US$1.18 to US$84.54 per barrel.

Elsewhere in Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index ended down 2.05%, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index shed 1.4%, South Korea’s Kospi slipped 0.73%, and China’s CSI300 dipped 0.38%.