KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 10 — The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was traded higher at mid-morning today led by gains in plantation and finance counters.

As at 11 am, the benchmark index rose 2.09 points to 1,843.96, after opening 4.07 points lower at 1,837.8.

Finance stocks Maybank gained five sen to RM10 and Hong Leong Bank added eight sen to RM14.16, while plantation stocks Kuala Lumpur Kepong rose 30 sen to RM24.22 and Sime Darby increased one sen to RM9.60.

However, market breadth was negative with losers outnumbering gainers by 274 to 247, with 277 counters unchanged, 764 untraded and 19 others suspended.   

Turnover was at 449.071 million shares worth RM420 million.

On the scoreboard, the Finance Index rose 7.811 points to 16,883.59, the Plantation Index gained 3.35 points to 9,061.35 and the Industrial Index was 4.17 points higher at 3,130.67.

The FBM Emas Index garnered 12 points to 12,734.47, the FBMT100 Index added 12.699 points to 12,468.64, the FBM 70 rose 8.38 points to 14,184.71 and the FBM Ace improved 10.15 points to 5,613.98.

Among actives, Sumatec Resources added 1.5 sen to 30 sen, Malaysian Airline System gained half-a-sen to 31.5 sen and Barakah Offshore Petroleum rose five sen to RM1.45.

Of the heavyweights, Tenaga Nasional and CIMB were flat at RM11.02 and RM7.70 respectively, while Axiata was two sen higher at RM6.75. — Bernama