KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) continued yesterday’s gains to open marginally higher in the early trading this morning, supported by buying interest in selected blue chips and counters.

At 9.26 am, the benchmark index stood at 1,839.51, up 2.34 points, after opening 2.2 points lower at 1,834.97.

A dealer said the overnight gains on Wall Street, coupled with positive outlook forecast for Malaysia’s economy this year by a World Bank economist, would lift investor sentiment and confidence today.

On the scoreboard, the Finance Index rose 21.13 points to 16,562.11, but the Plantation Index eased 7.66 points to 8,906.17, and the Industrial Index fell 8.98 points to 3,194.6.

The FBM Emas Index increased 12.16 points to 12,711.74, the FBMT100 Index advanced 12.27 points to 12,373.2, the FBM Ace gained 5.52 points to 6,708.76, and the FBM 70 added 0.24 of a point to 13,820.

Gainers outpaced losers 186 to 100, while 190 counters were unchanged, 1,146 untraded and 14 others were suspended.

Turnover stood at 225.44 million shares worth RM125.64 million.

Among actives, Sumatec was flat at 29.5 sen, while Ingenuity and MAS lost half-a-sen to 10.5 sen and 22.5 sen, respectively.

As for heavyweights, Maybank gained two sen to RM9.66, Axiata rose three sen to RM6.64, while TNB and CIMB were flat at RM11.94 and RM7.15, respectively.

Sime Darby, however, shed one sen to RM9.26. — Bernama