KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — Bursa Malaysia rebounded from yesterday’s losses to close firmer today, lifted by persistent buying momentum in selected blue chips and small-capitalised stocks, dealers said.

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) settled at its intra-day high of 1,677.56, up 13.49 points from yesterday’s close of 1,664.07.

The key index fluctuated in positive territory throughout the day and touched a low of 1,665.07 at one point.

Maybank Investment Bank regional chartist, Lee Cheng Hooi said the market performance was aided by positive sentiment brought about by the overnight gains on Wall Street.

This was also due to some bargain hunting on selected stocks following the recent losses in the local bourse.

The rally, which was also in tandem with Asian capital markets, was fuelled by the release of US and Europe’s manufacturing data that soothed worries over the global growth outlook, he told Bernama.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index chalked up 83.38 points to 11,658.88, the FBM Emas Syariah Index advanced 70.6 points to 12,468.19, and the FBM Ace Index improved 41 points to 6,314.35.

The FBM 70 Index increased 56.52 points to 12,858.1 and the FBMT100 Index surged 81.41 points to 11,336.03.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index soared 127.1 points to 14,268.37, the Industrial Index perked 24.16 points to 3,321.8 and the Plantation Index improved 23.13 points to 7,557.51.

Market breadth was positive as gainers thumped losers 521 to 357 while 339 counters were unchanged, 570 untraded and 15 others were suspended.

Volume expanded to 2.8 billion shares worth RM2.56 billion from 2.61 billion shares valued at RM1.97 billion recorded on Monday.   

Of the heavyweights, Maybank and Public Bank rose four sen each to RM8.31 and RM18.12 respectively, Axiata added one sen to RM6.14 and IHH Healthcare perked nine sen to RM6.52.

TNB, however, was flat at RM12.66.

Among actives, Hibiscus Petroleum fell 17.5 sen to 34 sen, XOX fell four sen to 24.5 sen but Focus Dynamics added one sen to 8.5 sen.

Main Market volume rose to 1.67 billion units worth RM2.06 billion from 1.23 billion units valued at RM1.87 billion yesterday.             

Turnover on the ACE Market widened to 745.35 million shares worth RM148.75 million from 599.91 million shares valued at RM123.70 million.

Warrants increased to 380.19 million units worth RM54.82 million from 294.79 million units valued at RM48.61 million yesterday.         

Consumer products accounted for 153.1 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (560.71 million), construction (51.19 million), trade and services (522.33 million), technology (75.44 million), infrastructure (29.31 million), SPAC (52.05 million), finance (40.07 million), hotels (2.75 million), properties (148.52 million), plantations (28.82 million), mining (nil), REITs (9.13 million), and closed/fund (43,100). — Bernama