KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Share prices on Bursa Malaysia ended firmer today in tandem with regional markets, tracking the favourable overnight performance of US equity markets, dealers said.

At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) firmed 2.13 points, or 0.12 per cent, to close at 1,771.34.

The key barometer opened 0.39 point higher at 1,769.21 and hovered between 1,768.82 and 1,774.66 throughout the day.

A dealer said there were still concerns over the political tension in Portugal and Egypt, as well as caution over key events such as tomorrow’s US jobs data release.

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI), however, remained above the immediate support line of 1,750, he added.

On the regional front, China's Shanghai Stock Exchange was up 11.83 points, Indonesia's JKSE appreciated 11.83 points, Japan's Nikkei dropped 36.63 points and Singapore's Straits Times Index added 17.63 points.  

On the scoreboard, the Finance Index rose 39.74 points to 16,990.49 but the Industrial Index dipped 2.84 points to 2,995.61.

The Plantation Index inched up 17.41 points to 8,392.42.

The FBM Emas Index gained 26.93 points to 12,319.93, the FBMT100 Index added 16.75 points to 12,080.76, the FBM Mid 70 Index edged up 28.7 points to 14,170.53 while the FBM Ace Index appreciated 74.7 points to 4,708.22.

Gainers led losers by 487 to 221 while 288 counters were unchanged, 570 untraded and 24 others suspended.

Total volume decreased to 1.176 billion shares worth RM1.578 billion from 1.247 billion shares worth RM2.102 billion yesterday.

Top gainers, Panasonic Manufacturing gained 50 sen to RM26.00, Aeon Co.(M) Bhd added 38 sen to RM16.00 and Tahps Group rose 32 sen to RM6.50.

Among actives, Luster was flat at 10.5 sen, Ingenuity Consolidated declined half-a-sen to 8.5 sen and iDimension Consolidated was unchanged at 15.5 sen.

As for heavyweights, Maybank and CIMB both gained four sen to RM10.50 and  to RM8.29 and Sime Darby was unchanged at RM9.50.

Volume on the Main Market decreased to 930.325 million units, valued at RM1.538 billion, from 936.663 million units, valued at RM2.06 billion, registered yesterday.

Turnover on the ACE market dropped to 229.779 million shares, worth RM37.779 million, from 285.714 million shares, worth RM40.996 million, recorded yesterday.

Warrants declined to 14.704 million units valued at RM1.902 million from yesterday's 23.947 million units valued at RM3.81 million.   

Consumer products accounted for 49.426 million shares on the Main Market, industrial products 207.068 million, construction 74.436 million, trade and services 280.740 million, technology 41.012 million, infrastructure 31.165 million, SPAC 25.773 million, finance 88.872 million, hotels 729,300, properties 112.346 million, plantations 11.451 million, mining 213,800, REITs 6.954 million and closed/fund 133,300. — Bernama