KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 11 — The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was slightly higher in early trading today, after closing above the 1,800 points level yesterday.

At 9.15am, the key index stood at 1,816.75, up 0.61 of a point after opening 0.26 of a point lower at 1,815.88.

HwangDBS Vickers Research in a research note today said after rising for four days in a row, the FBM KLCI will likely digest its cumulative gains of 37.3 points or 2.1 per cent.

“On the chart, the benchmark index may move sideways with a marginal upward bias, probably facing immediate resistance at the 1,825 barrier,” it added.

Meanwhile, the research firm said on Wall Street, major US equity bellwethers finished overnight between flat and up 0.5 per cent, following the recent technical rebounds.

“Essentially, sentiment remains cautious as investors wait for fresh market leads to emerge,” it added.

On the scoreboard, the Finance Index shed 7.99 points to 16,621.36, while the Industrial Index advanced 1.71 points to 3,087.87, and the Plantation Index improved 10.59 points to 8,440.46.

The FBM Emas Index was 4.86 points higher at 12,543.24 and the FBMT100 Index increased 2.99 points to 12,243.24, with the FBM 70 easing 0.88 of a point to 13,765.3, and the FBM Ace falling 7.33 points to 6,143.38 points.

Market breadth was positive, with gainers overcoming losers by 167 to 105, while 144 counters were unchanged, 1,177 untraded and 17 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 152.26 million shares worth RM69.95 million.        

Among actives, Minetech Resources rose two sen to 31.5 sen, Managepay Systems and KNM Group earned one sen each for 21 sen and 70.5 sen respectively, while Astral Supreme was flat at 20.5 sen.

As for heavyweights, Maybank slipped three sen to RM9.79, TNB lost two sen to RM11.78, while CIMB added eight sen for RM7.23 and Axiata was five sen higher at RM6.55. — Bernama