KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 27 — Bursa Malaysia opened marginally higher this morning, supported by buying activities in selected heavyweights led by Sime Darby and AMMB Holdings.

At 9.05 am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 2.05 points better at 1,619.20 from last Friday’s close of 1,617.15.

The index opened 1.33 points higher at 1,618.48. 

The market was closed yesterday as it was a public holiday in lieu of Christmas on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Sime Darby gained six sen to RM8.09 and AMMB Holdings jumped 10 sen to RM4.36.

JX Apex Research said the benchmark index could remain lacklustre today and decline towards the support of 1,610 points, following the mixed performance in the US and Europe last Friday.

US markets were flat with the Dow Jones index failing to hit the 20,000-point psychological level, amid low trading volume before Christmas.        

Meanwhile, European stocks were mixed with banking counters declining on legal cases.

"Potential window dressing in the local market could be seen benefiting blue chips with four trading days left this year,” said JF Apex Research in a note today.

On the broader market, gainers edged losers 67 to 58, while 108 counters remained unchanged, with 1,522 untraded and 27 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 49.196 million shares worth RM13.696 million.

Among heavyweights on Bursa Malaysia, TNB bagged four sen for RM13.70, Maybank and Petronas Chemicals were flat at RM7.74 and RM6.90 respectively, while Public Bank declined eight sen to RM19.60.           

Of the actives, Perisai Petroleum rose two sen to seven sen, TH Heavy Engineering was one sen higher at 13.5 sen, Borneo Oil was flat 18 sen and Felda Global Ventures eased three sen to RM1.50.

Among losers, Nestle lost 34 sen to RM78, Amway fell eight sen to RM7.50, Power Root slid seven sen to RM2.02 and SAM Engineering & Equipment slipped five sen to RM5.  

The FBM Emas Index rose 12.96 points to 11,329.26, the FBMT100 Index was 13.48 points higher at 11,050.69, but the FBM Ace shed 3.02 points to 4,755.60.  

The FBM Emas Shariah Index rose by 15.91 points to 11,907.48 and the FBM 70 increased 13.67 points to 12,931.83.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index declined 3.14 points at 7,663.70, but the Finance Index added 0.55 of-a-point to 14,161.40, and the Industrial Index increased 10.80 points to 3,073.55. — Bernama