KUALA LUMPUR: Following a spike in their share prices and trade volume, Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd on Jan 11 issued an unusual market activity (UMA) query to Takaso Resources Bhd and Perduren (M) Bhd.

Takaso shares surged 50 sen or 227% to 72 sen, with 20.34 million shares changing hands while its warrants soared 920% or 46 sen to 51 sen with nearly 3.3 million units done. Its shares had risen 255% to an intra-day high of 78 sen, while its warrants surged to as high as 57 sen.

Year to-date, Takaso is up 235% or 50.5 sen as of on Jan 11’s close from its 21.5 sen on Jan 7.

In response to the Bursa Malaysia query, Takaso could not explain the unusual movement of its shares and said it was not aware of any corporate developments, reports, and rumours requiring immediate disclosure that may have prompted the UMA.

Nonetheless, it said it had recently announced its unit Takaso Rubber Products Sdn Bhd had appointed Kotra Pharma (M) Sdn Bhd as its exclusive product distributor.

Takaso group makes baby products, condoms, and moulds, and trades in rubber products, baby apparels, infant milk formula and toiletries.

Takaso’s net loss widened to RM1.13 million in its first quarter ended Oct 31, 2009 from a loss of RM948,000 a year earlier. Net asset per share stood at 34 sen as at Oct 31, 2009.

Meanwhile, Perduren halted the trading of its securities from 4.51pm pursuant to its announcement on the UMA query. The stock jumped to an intra-day high of RM1.63, up 16 sen or 10.9%, on the morning but gave up most of its gains to close at RM1.51, four sen or 2.27% higher than the previous day’s close with 2.2 million shares done. Year to-date, the stock is up 55% from the beginning of the year.

In its reply to Bursa Malaysia, the company also said it had no knowledge of any corporate developments, rumours or reports that may have caused the unsual share price movement. Perduren group is mainly involved in property investment activities.

It posted a net profit of RM922,000 in its second quarter ended Sept 30, 2009 versus RM1.19 million a year earlier. For the six months to Sept 30, net profit fell to RM1.59 million from RM2.03 million a year earlier. Net asset per share stood at RM1.51 as at Sept 30, 2009.