KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session on a firm note, buoyed by year-end window-dressing activities.

At 12.30pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 3.90 points to 1,614.51 from last Friday's close of 1,610.61, with the key index moving between 1,608.76 and 1,617.43 throughout the session.

The benchmark index opened 1.16 points easier at 1,609.45. 

Market breadth continued to stay positive as gainers trumped losers 401 to 331, while 371 counters remained unchanged, 874 untraded and 45 others suspended. 

Turnover amounted to 1.35 billion shares worth RM693.09 million.   

Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said the lower liners and broader market shares may continue to rise on rotational play. 

"The plantation and energy sectors may also continue to see firm trading interest amid elevated commodity prices," it said in a note today.

Among heavyweights, utility counters such as Tenaga rose 16 sen to RM13.42; oil and gas-related counters Petronas Dagangan increased 26 sen to RM23.38 and Petronas Chemicals advanced three sen to RM7.39; while plantation counters such as KLK bagged 16 sen to RM24.96 and Sime Darby Plantation perked three sen to RM5.49.

Of the actives, Dynaciate was unchanged at 7.5 sen, TDM accumulated 3.5 sen to 38 sen, Rimbunan Sawit increased 4.5 sen to 44 sen, KNM was one sen better at 38.5 sen while Sapura Energy trimmed half-a-sen to 27 sen.

Top gainer Dutch Lady propped up 62 sen to RM49.82 while top loser Heineken Malaysia lost 30 sen to RM27.14.

The FBM 70 garnered 63.84 points to 14,246.87, the FBMT 100 Index accumulated 32.72 points to 11,259.38 and the FBM Ace was 44.70 points higher at 5,169.96.

The FBM Emas Index advanced 33.84 points to 11,464.43 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 32.93 points firmer at 12,087.97. 

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index leapt 88.19 points to 7,802.52, the Financial Services Index jumped 48.41 points to 15,696.99 but the Industrial Products and Services Index slipped 0.06 of-a-point to 153.72. — Bernama