KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 — Bursa Malaysia opened higher on the first trading day of the week, supported by positive sentiment generated by the 2018 Budget announced last Friday coupled with Euro’s weakness, dealers said.

At 9.02am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 1.360 points better at 1,747.49 from Friday's close of 1,746.13.

The index opened 1.78 points higher at 1,747.91. 

On the broader market, gainers outpaced losers 219 to 99 while 239 counters remained unchanged with 1,330 untraded and 115 others were suspended.

Turnover stood at 288.56 million shares worth RM86.31 million.  

In a note today, Public Bank Investment Bank Bhd said the 2018 Budget was positive for the market as it  contained measures that addressed many pressing concerns of today.

"However  it lacked the significant punch that a potentially market-changing measure may bring.

"The FBM KLCI might start the week on a positive note as due to external factors, particularly the renewed weakness for the Euro in the wake of last week’s European Central Bank policy meeting, helped drive several of the region’s benchmark equity indices to multi-month highs,” it said.

Among heavyweights,  Maybank shed three sen to RM9.20, Tenaga rose four sen to RM15, Sime gained 12 sen to RM9.29 while PBBank was flat at RM20.48. 

Of actives, NovaMSC improved 2.5 sen to to 11.5 sen, UMWOG and its warrant, both increased 1.5 sen each to 31.5 sen and 18 sen, respectively, and Sumatec was unchanged at 50 sen.

The FBM Emas Index rose 24.0 points to 12,575.61, FBMT100 Index was 22.55 points firmer at 12,214.0246 and FBM Emas Shariah Index increased 36.29 points to 13,034.40. 

The FBM Ace accumulated 26.82 points to 6,908.16 and the FBM 70 jumped 38.30 points to 15,351.61.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index was 29.94 points lower at 7,981.41, Industrial Index advanced 8.54 points to 3,212.71 and the Finance Index contracted 11.13 points to 16,247.31. — Bernama