KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended higher for the third consecutive day on persistent buying momentum in selected heavyweights led by Sime Darby and on year-end window dressing.

At the closing bell, the benchmark index rose 7.78 points to 1,693.14 and advanced to more than a two-month high.

The index rose to an intra-day high of 1,706.25 after retreating to an intra-day low of 1,686.85 in early trade.

Amomg heavyweights, Sime Darby jumped 17 sen to RM7.82, IHH Healthcare rose 6 sen to RM6.56, IOI Corp expanded 7 sen to RM4.40, TNB appreciated 8 sen to RM13.26 and Petronas Gas soared 20 sen to RM22.70.

Of the actives, Kim Teck Cheong Consolidated gained 4 sen to 41 sen, 1 Utopia edged up 0.5 sen to 4.5 sen, Red Sen was flat at 9 sen and Instacom shed 0.5 sen to 27 sen.

Regional markets were mostly lower, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 up 0.27 per cent to 19,033.71, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined 0.53 per cent to 21,882.15 and Singapore’s Straits Times fell 0.34 per cent to 2,877.44.

Market breadth was negative as decliners led advancers 532 to 390 while 326 counters were unchanged, 522 untraded and 57 others were suspended.

Total volume was slightly lower at 1.77 billion shares, worth RM1.80 billion, against 1.95 billion shares, worth RM1.80 billion, traded yesterday.

The FBM Emas Index rose 22.54 points to 11,785.75, the FBMT100 Index gained 25.07 points to 11,463.03 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index advanced 25.58 points to 12,777.67. The FBM 70 fell 70.67 points to 13,084.22 and the FBM Ace was 15.79 points lower at 6,330.59.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Index bagged 25.34 points to 3,275.12, the Finance Index improved 38.13 points to 14,186.79 and the Plantation Index increased 35.31 points to 7,580.57.

Main Market volume fell to 1.13 billion units, worth RM1.66 billion, from 1.51 billion units, valued at RM1.71 billion, traded yesterday.

Turnover on the ACE Market appreciated to 404.94 million shares, valued at RM102.40 million, from 256.19 million shares yesterday valued at RM69.54 million.

Warrants improved to 241.97 million units, worth RM27.22 million, from 176.38 million units, worth RM29.16 million.

Consumer products accounted for 107.53 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (249.61 million), construction (39.47 million), trade and services (387.26 million), technology (52.83 million), infrastructure (11.12 million), SPAC (127.59 million), finance (40.06 million), hotels

(1.55), properties (81.49 million), plantations (23.64 million), mining (0), REITs (4.56 million) and closed/fund (49,000). — Bernama