KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 3 — Bursa Malaysia remained in positive territory at mid-afternoon on persistent buying in most index-linked counters, dealers said.

At 3.25pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 16.51 points stronger at 1,696.37 from Friday’s close of 1,679.86.

The index opened 5.88 points higher at 1,685.74.

On the broader market, gainers overwhelmed losers 503 to 331, with 308 counters unchanged, 724 untraded and 21 others suspended.

Volume stood at 1.72 billion units valued at RM1.45 billion.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank rose four sen to RM9.43, CIMB Group added 15 sen to RM5.91, while Public  Bank and Tenaga were two sen lower at RM24.90 and RM14.22 respectively.

The FBM Emas Shariah Index improved 123.50 points to 11,756.94, the FBM 70 rose 77.42 points to 13,619.33 and FBM Ace Index was 41.51 points better at 4,805.94.

The FBM Emas Index soared 105.60 points to 11,709.94 and the FBMT 100 Index gained 101.84 points to 11,581.89.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index was up 56.78 points at 6,910.05, the Industrial Products and Services Index was 0.20 of-a-point better at 170.63, and the Financial Services Index increased 113.18 points to 17,482.40. — Bernama