KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 15 — The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) opened higher in the early session today on the back of an overall positive sentiment, boosted in part by the recovery in oil prices and bullish performance of Wall Street last Friday.

At 9.15am, the FBM KLCI was 8.37 points higher at 1,652.11 from 1,643.74 last Friday.

It had opened 8.91 points better at 1,652.65.

JF Apex Securities said the FBM KLCI is expected to climb towards its resistance of 1,660 points today backed by the bullish performance on Friday and also the stronger oil prices.

Brent Crude jumped 9.28 per cent to US$32.85 per barrel in the early trading session today.       

On the scoreboards, the FBM Emas Index added 54.14 points to 11,454.47, the FBMT100 Index increased 52.66 points to 11,166.35 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 75.03 points higher at 12,243.15.

The FBM 70 improved 45.63 points to 12,677.29 and the FBM Ace gained 18.28 points for 5,839.52.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index expanded 28.19 points to 7,751.00 and the Industrial Index went up 25.57 points to 3,267.54, while the Finance Index rose 17.40 points for 13,854.10.

Market breadth was positive with gainers leading losers 222 to 75 with 141 counters unchanged, 1,310 untraded and 15 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 246.19 million shares worth RM56.16 million.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank and IHH Healthcare added two sen each for

RM8.53 and RM6.51 respectively, TNB jumped 22 sen to RM13.42, while Public Bank and Petronas Chemicals were flat at RM18.50 and RM6.90.   

Among top gainers, British American Tobacco soared 55 sen to RM56.50, Petronas Gas increased 44 sen to RM22.68 and Fraser & Neave Holdings improved 40 sen to RM20.

Of the actives, MMAG Holdings edged up half-a-sen to seven sen, Genetec Tech gained one sen for 20.5 sen, Hubline was flat at one sen and Tiger Synergy inched down half-a-sen to five sen. — Bernama