KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 ― Bursa Malaysia saw continued interest in blue chips at mid-afternoon following improved sentiment in the region.

At 3.13pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) advanced 9.19 points, or 0.65 per cent, to 1,418.28 from yesterday's closing of 1,409.09.

The main index opened 1.61 points lower at 1,407.48.

Market breadth was positive as gainers beat decliners by 474 to 365, while 364 counters were unchanged, 1,088 untraded, and 25 others suspended.

Turnover amounted to 2.2 billion units worth RM1.01 billion.

Among the heavyweight counters, CIMB gained eight sen to RM5.29, IHH put on nine sen to RM5.84, while Maybank and Sime Darby added four sen each to RM8.55 and RM2.19, respectively.

Axiata was five sen better at RM3.01 and MISC gained eight sen to RM7.19.

Among the actives, Computer Forms bagged 3.5 sen to 22 sen, BSL Corp went up one sen to five sen while Hong Seng Consolidated was flat at 11.5 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index gained 66.98 points to 10,368.89, the FBMT 100 Index advanced 65.15 points to 10,065.98 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index added 64.33 points to 10,683.62.

The FBM 70 Index was 86.47 points stronger at 13,376.01 while the FBM ACE Index fell 14.47 points to 5,191.04.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index climbed 96.64 points to 15,657.03, the Energy Index gained 17.21 points to 830.64 and the Industrial Products and Services Index inched up 0.73 of-a-point to 168.73.

The Plantation Index dipped 43.68 points to 6,671.06. ― Bernama