KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — Shares on Bursa Malaysia closed marginally higher on continued buying support for selected heavyweights.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 0.5 per cent or 10.24 points to hit its highest level in 2½ half weeks at 1,862.93 points, after hovering between 1,849.69 points and 1,864.94 points through the day.

United Plantations, the day’s top gainer, surged 50 sen to RM25.48. Syarikat Takaful Malaysia soared 32 sen to RM12.40 and Petronas Gas gained 24 sen to RM23.98.

Maybank rose 14 sen to RM9.97, Public Bank improved 16 sen to RM20.20, TNB added 4.0 sen to RM11.94 and CIMB increased 11 sen to RM7.50. Sime Darby was flat at RM9.30.

Among actives, PDZ Holdings added 0.5 sen to 16 sen, Asian Pac was 2.5 sen higher at 30 sen but 1 Utopia eased 1.0 sen to 8.0 sen.

Market breadth was positive as gainers led losers 523 to 326 while 336 counters were unchanged, 443 untraded and 20 others were suspended.

Turnover was higher at 2.6 billion shares, valued at RM1.98 billion, from last Friday’s 2.216 billion shares valued at RM1.693 billion.

On the scoreboard, the Industrial Index added 9.05 points to 3,195.87 points, the Finance Index surged 172.74 points to 17,121.28 points, and the Plantation Index rose 2.78 points to 8,927.12 points.

The FBM Emas Index appreciated 64.82 points to 12,935.69, the FBMT100 Index rose 62.62 points to 12,566.75, the FBM 70 advanced 45.5 points to 14,176.77 and the Ace Index was 29.35 points higher at 6,908.52.

A dealer said the strong buying interest was prompted by improved market sentiment amid positive market-moving external global events.

Main Market volume was higher at 2 billion units, worth RM1.84 billion, from Friday’s 1.546 billion units worth RM1.536 billion.

Turnover on the ACE market decreased to 521.47 million shares, valued at RM118.24 million, against 584.20 million shares, valued at RM134.51 million, transacted last Friday.

Warrants narrowed to 69.43 million units, worth RM14.46 million, from 78.5 million units, worth RM15.742 million.

Consumer products accounted for 96.53 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products 452.59 million, construction 129.87 million, trade and services 691.7 million, technology 84.44 million, infrastructure 19.51 million, SPAC 19.34 million, finance 55.92 million, hotels 3.44 million, properties 426 million, plantations 20.6 million, mining 54,900, REITs 3.92 million and closed/fund 21,700. — Bernama