KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 — Share prices on Bursa Malaysia ended higher today, rebounding from yesterday's steep decline as local investors took advantage of foreign selling, dealers said.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) stood at 1,681.9, up 7.96 points, after opening 0.9 point lower at 1,673.04.

“The market remained vulnerable to foreign selling and it was an opportunity for local investors, with valuation at a more attractive level," a dealer told Bernama.

He also said the composite index had given up all gains since the rally from March 2013 until July 2014, and a slow recovery momentum is likely to go on for the next couple of days as investors try to grab the opportunity to do their window-dressing by year-end.

"The good positive sentiment is expected to go on until the end of the year, as the downswing provides opportunities for investors," he added.

Commenting on the weak oil prices, he said the downward trend is almost over, and prices will climb henceforth.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index increased 77.39 points to 11,527.6, the FBMT100 Index was up 60.86 points to 11,288.54, the FBM 70 went up 96.46 points to 12,517.26, the FBM Ace rose 150.48 points to 5,262.94 and the FBM Emas Syariah Index improved 65.56 points to 11,880.27.

On a sectoral basis, the Industrial Index expanded 10.62 points to 3,043.95, the Plantation Index advanced 16.26 points to 7,399.66 and the Finance Index perked 124.73 points to 14,982.48.

Gainers trounced losers by 648 to 257, while 228 counters were unchanged, 582 untraded and 16 others suspended.

Total volume rose to 1.94 billion units worth RM2.06 billion from 1.64 billion units worth RM2.1 billion yesterday.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank improved 15 sen to RM8.44, TNB was flat at RM13.14, Public Bank was four sen higher at RM17.62, Axiata lost two sen to RM6.80 and Sime Darby garnered four sen to RM8.82.

Among actives, Sumatec increased five sen to 23 sen, Minetech Resources rose half-a-sen to nine sen, PDZ went up three sen to 14.5 sen, Bumi Armada expanded four sen to RM1.08 and Asia Bioenergy advanced one sen to 12.5 sen.

Main Market volume went up to 1.44 billion units worth RM1.94 billion from 1.23 billion units worth RM2.00 billion yesterday.

Turnover on the ACE Market increased to 325.97 million shares valued at RM62.39 million from 245.83 million shares valued at RM44.27 million.

Warrants improved to 175.12 million units worth RM57.81 million versus 158.81 million units worth RM57.65 million previously.

Consumer products accounted for 56.44 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (243.79 million), construction (54.29 million), trade and services (754.09 million), technology (50.87 million), infrastructure (22.03 million), SPAC (46.17 million), finance (61.95 million), hotels (23.63 million), properties (105.81 million), plantations (13.87 million), mining (17,000), REITs (5.67 million) and closed/fund (67,200). — Bernama