KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 — Share prices on Bursa Malaysia were traded slightly higher in early trading today on mild interest, dealers said.

At 9.38am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI was 0.50 point better at 1,816.15 after opening 1.31 points higher at 1,816.22.

Gainers outnumbered losers 277 to 114, with 242 counters unchanged, 993 untraded and 59 others suspended.   

Turnover stood at 311.480 million shares worth RM160.441 million.

HwangDBS Vickers Research said the local bourse is set to get further lift today, boosted by positive external sentiments, with FBM KLCI increasing to challenge the immediate resistance barrier of 1,825 ahead.

The research house said major US bellwethers jumped between 0.3 per cent and 0.7 per cent at the closing bell as optimism was boosted by strong corporate earnings and expectations of the US Federal Open Market Committee would maintain its monetary stimulus policy following the end of its meeting later tonight.

On the scoreboard, the Finance Index lost 25.30 points to 16,719.48, while the Plantation Index rose 14.03 points to 8,563.36 and the Industrial Index declining 5.2 points to 3,136.61.

The FBM Emas Index gained 4.71 points to 12,619.44, the FBMT100 Index added 3.34 points to 12,343.96, the FBM 70 rose 3.56 points to 14,304.34 and the FBM Ace added 31.48 points to 5,760.81.

Among actives, MQ Technology was half a sen higher at 20 sen, AT Systematizaton rose 1.5 sen to 32 sen while Malaysia Airlines was flat at 34 sen.

As for heavyweights, Maybank fell three sen to RM9.78, Axiata added two sen to RM6.91, CIMB lost two sen to RM7.58, while both Sime Darby and Petronas Chemicals were flat at RM9.56 and RM7.15, respectively. — Bernama