KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 ― Bursa Malaysia's index rose by 1.63 per cent at midday as gains across sectors persist, with healthcare counters in the limelight again after yesterday's downtrend.

At 12.30pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) jumped 25.5 points to 1,590.50, with Hartalega and Top Glove contributing a combined 13.35 points.

The index opened 10.30 points lower at 1,563.01, compared with 1,573.48 at yesterday's close.

Market breadth was positive with gainers surpassing losers 553 to 312, while 409 counters were unchanged, 690 untraded and 27 others suspended.

Total volume stood at 4.57 billion units worth RM3.14 billion.

An analyst said investors are nibbling on beaten down counters, mainly glove makers.

"Additionally, we also saw strong demand for selected healthcare, property, construction and plantation shares, among others,” he said.

Hartalega and Top Glove led the heavyweights and gainers list, adding RM1.36 and RM3.06 to RM16.22 and RM22.76, respectively.

Top Glove's rally was boosted by its confidence that the detention order placed by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on its disposable gloves would be resolved within the next two weeks or a month.

Meanwhile, the list of top gainers also included Supermax, which increased by RM1.60 to RM16.50, and Kossan, which added 80 sen to RM13.06.

Among other heavyweights, TNB rose 10 sen to RM11.46, Hap Seng was flat at RM8.83 and PetChem went up one sen to RM6.22.

Maybank improved seven sen to RM7.89 and Axiata rose three sen to RM3.38.

Of the most active, Pegasus was unchanged at 2.5 sen, while XOX rose 4.5 sen to 15 sen after news that the company, which holds an e-wallet licence, will provide micro-financing to the tune of RM1 billion to its 2.2 million subscribers.

Meanwhile, Lambo and Anzo inched up half-a-sen each to 3.5 sen and 13 sen, respectively.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index leapt 176.01 points to 11,216.42, the FBMT 100 Index appreciated 176.80 points to 11,073.65 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index jumped 282.67 points to 12,891.96.

The FBM 70 was stronger by 219.29 points to 13,918.40 and the FBM ACE increased sharply by 238.68 points to 7,405.93.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index improved 52.96 points to 13,587.17, the Plantation Index was 11.35 points higher at 6,973.70 and the Industrial Products and Services Index rose 0.5 of-a-point to 138.27. ― Bernama