KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — Bursa Malaysia returned higher at mid-afternoon today, lifted by buying interest in selected heavyweights.

At 3pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 2.4 points higher at 1,592.22 compared with yesterday’s close of 1,589.82.

It opened 3.54 points higher at 1,593.63 but failed to sustain momentum and ended the morning session lower.

On the broader market, losers outnumbered gainers 459 to 229, while 377 counters remained unchanged, 911 untraded and 64 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 1.24 billion units worth RM793.06 million.

Among heavyweights, Hong Leong added 44 sen to RM16.70, Petronas Gas perked 24 sen to RM15.88, TNB gained six sen to RM13.80, Petronas Dagangan rose 32 sen to RM22.16, and IOI climbed five sen to RM4.27.

As for the actives, Vsolar was flat at 14 sen, while TM lost 33 sen to RM3.75.

MNC Wireless and KNM added half-a-sen each to eight sen and 38.5 sen and Opcom garnered three sen to 66.5 sen.

The FBM Emas Index lost 8.779 points to 11,204.69, the FBMT 100 Index erased 3.159 points to 11,047.19 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index went down 17.71 points to 11,750.08.

The FBM Ace fell 55.94 points to 4,482.33 and the FBM 70 was 86.19 points lower at 13,744.72.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index rose 29 points to 15,381.81 and the Plantation Index increased 24.1 points to 6,781.99 while the Industrial Products and Services Index was 0.76 of-a-point lower at 146.6. — Bernama