KUALA LUMPUR, June 19 — Shares worth almost RM2 billion were transacted in mixed trading on Bursa Malaysia as at mid morning today.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) emerged the most active stock with 191.28 million shares changing hands.

MAS gained one sen or four per cent after opening flat at 25 sen.

As at 11am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) stood at 1,876.23, down 0.35 of a point, after opening 1.19 points weaker at 1,875.4.

Affin Investment Bank Vice-President/Head of Retail Research Dr Nazri Khan said there may be massive foreign buying on the local bourse today after the bullish announcement by the US Federal Reserve yesterday.

The Fed yesterday announced that the US economic recovery was on track, although the turmoil in Iraq was keeping investors in check.

Nazri told Bernama that the sentiment has affected other Asean bourses like Indonesia and Singapore.

"For Malaysia Airlines, I think the mostly foreign investors, were 'encouraged' over market talk that the national carrier would be taken private in future," he said.

The Fed had also hinted at a slightly faster pace of interest-rate increases starting next year, but suggested rates in the long run would be lower, than it had indicated previously.

Meanwhile, gainers led losers 320 to 269, while 605 counters were unchanged, 436 untraded and 17 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 957.65 million shares worth RM1.98 billion.

On the scoreboard, the Industrial Index earned 0.15 of a point to 3,229.41, but the Finance Index slipped 7.51 points to 17,213.07 and the Plantation Index fell 13.31 points to 9,181.48.

The FBM Emas Index was 3.54 points better at 12,998.32, the FBM 70 improved 16.89 points to 14,148.61, the FBM Ace gained 54.5 points to 6,806.73 and the FBMT100 Index rose 1.49 points to 12,630.67.

Among actives, Talam Transform and 1Utopia earned half a sen each to 10.5 sen and six sen respectively, while Pan Malaysian Industries and Tiger Synergy were flat at 3.5 sen and 14 sen.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank was flat at RM9.82, CIMB rose six sen to RM7.28, while Public Bank slid 12 sen to RM20.14 and TNB declined six sen to RM11.82. — Bernama