KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 — The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) on Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session slightly higher on buying support in blue chips.

At the lunch break, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 2.89 points to 1,660.31, after hovering between 1,657.47 and 1,666.33 throughout the session.

IHH Healthcare was the biggest contributor to the rise in the composite index, gaining nine sen to RM6.57 with 2.2 million shares transacted.

There were 317 gainers and 317 losers, with 330 counters unchanged, 738 untraded and 22 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 790.48 million shares worth RM517.96 million.      

On the scoreboard, the Finance Index improved 27.82 points to 14,129.46 and the Industrial Index went up 11.54 points to 3,144.62, but the Plantation Index eased 5.44 points to 7,569.06.

The FBM Emas Index increased 21.9 points to 11,633.07, the FBMT100 Index rose 21.64 points to 11,328.86 and the FBM 70 edged up 32.49 points to 13,248.64.

However, the FBM Ace fell 6.74 points to 5,433.65.   

Of the heavyweights, Maybank added two sen to RM8.05 and Public Bank rose eight sen to RM19.38.

TNB slipped two sen to RM14.30 and Petronas Chemicals lost five sen to RM6.56.

Among actives, TH Heavy added 2.5 sen to 14 sen while China Automobile was flat at three sen. — Bernama