KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI ended the final trading day of 2010 in the red, weighed by losses at key blue chips on some profit taking, in line with the limited gains at key regional markets as the year draws to an end.

Selling accelerated in the late afternoon as investors locked in their gains while the sentiment was also affected by the sharp declines in IJM Corp and IJM Land share prices after the IJM Land-MRCB merger fell through.

At 5pm, the 30-stock index was downl 0.36% or 5.43 points to 1,518.91. Year-to-date, the FBM KLCI was up 19.34%.  Losers edged gainers by 401 to 385, while 278 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 1.12 billion shares valued at RM1.87 billion.

At the regional markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.12% to 10,228.92 on its last day of trade this year, as Friday, Dec 31 is a public holiday in Japan. The Nikkei 225 fell 3.01% year-to-date.

Taiwan’s Taiex added 0.47% to 8,907.91, South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.37% to 2,051.00, the Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.29% to 2,759.58, Singapore’s Straits Times Index up 0.14% to 3,212.46 while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 0.13% to 22,999.34.

At Bursa Malaysia, KL Kepong, which had a stellar run in its share price, underpinned by the firm crude palm oil prices, retreated 64 sen to RM22.10.

Other decliners were DiGi, which fell 50 sen to RM24.60, BAT 48 sen to RM45, Lafarge 32 sen to RM7.67, Petronas Dagangan 28 sen to RM11.70 and Petronas Gas 18 sen to RM11.10.

As for IJM Corp, IJM Land and MRCB, the securities fell ahead of the midday announcement that IJM Land and MRCB could not agree on the terms of the merger. Before the suspension, IJM Land fell 38 sen to RM2.86, IJM Land warrants fell 28 sen to RM1.61, while IJM Corp shares and warrants fell 27 sen each to RM6.23 and RM2.76.

Other actives included Maxbiz, Tejari, IJM Land, Timecom, CIMB and Berjaya Corporation.

Cepco was the top gainer and added 60 sen to RM2.70; Tong Herr was up 26 sen to RM2.60, Nestle rose 24 sen to RM43.34, MAHB up 20 sen to RM6.28, EON Capital rose 19 sen to RM7.10, QL Resources up 16 sen to RM5.84 while TH Plantations added 15 sen to RM2.08.