KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) remained in positive territory at mid-morning on continuous buying support and an improved peer market, dealers said.

At 11.08am, the benchmark index stood at 1,797.48, up 1.1 points from yesterday’s close of 1,796.38 points.

A dealer said the overnight rebound in US stocks helped spark some demand on the Asian equity markets this morning.

Market breadth stayed positive with gainers trouncing losers 339 to 235, while 281 counters were unchanged, 750 untraded and 12 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 589.06 million shares worth RM486.8 million.

On the scoreboard, the Plantation Index gained 1.27 points to 8,003.29, while the Industrial Index increased 4.84 points to 3,121.77.But the Finance Index trimmed 27.02 points to 16,621.17.

The FBM Emas Shariah rose 23.02 points to 12,771.77, the FBM Ace advanced 46.34 points to 6,396.59, the FBM Emas Index gained 5.22 points to 12,442.6 and the FBMT100 Index added 2.72 points to 12,100.43, while the FBM 70 lost 15 points to 13,557.19.

Of the heavyweights, TNB increased two sen to RM12.52 and Axiata rose three sen to RM7.08, while both Public Bank and Sime Darby were flat at RM18.46 and RM9.15 respectively.

Maybank, however, eased four sen to RM9.64.

Among actives, Asia Bioenergy and Malayan United Industries inched up half-a-sen each to 17.5 sen and 24 sen respectively, and Censof rose 20 sen to 32.5 sen. — Bernama