KUALA LUMPUR, July 3 — Bursa Malaysia closed higher today, supported mainly by gains on financial, energy and plantation stocks on renewed buying interest and positive domestic sentiment, dealers said.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended 1.85 points, or 0.098 per cent, higher at 1,888.69, after moving between 1,884.77 and 1,891.1.

A dealer said the US job market figures, to be released later today, would be in the spotlight.

If they were better-than-expected data, he said, they would lend support to US stocks thereafter and be reflected on local index futures tomorrow.

Regionally, Shanghai Composite edged up to 2,063.23 and Singapore's Straits Times Index firmed to 3,273.15.

Japan's Nikkei 225 declined to 15,348.29 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell to 23,549.62.

The Finance Index rose 15.78 points to 17,240.11 and Plantation Index firmed 14.04 points to 9,247.03.

The Industrial Index dipped 2.59 points to 3,251.77.

The FBM Emas Index edged up 11.79 points to 13,101.12, FBMT100 Index improved 6.5 points to 12,720.03 and FBM Ace rose 36.45 points to 6,771.53.

The FBM 70 parted 15.64 points to 14,269.15.

Market breadth was positive as advancers outpaced decliners by 440 to 377, with 347 counters unchanged, 445 untraded and 14 others suspended.

Total volume depreciated to 1.791 billion units worth RM 2.237 billion from yesterday's 1.878 billion shares worth RM2.047 billion.

Among top gainers, Ipmuda Bhd added 33 sen to RM1.10, United Plantation rose 30 sen to RM28 and Nestle gained 28 sen to RM67.24.  

Among actives, MAS edged up two sen to 23 sen, China Stationery Ltd inched down one sen to 7.5 sen and Ire-tex Corp shed 1.5 sen to 12 sen.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank rose a sen at RM9.85, Public Bank added 14 sen to RM19.90 and TNB appreciated eight sen to RM12.46.

Main Market volume slightly decreased to 1.516 billion units worth RM2.179 billion from Wednesday's 1.518 billion units worth RM1.976 billion yesterday.

Turnover on the ACE market fell to 199.57 million shares valued at RM46.914 million from 301.874 million shares valued at RM59.835 million previously.

Warrants soared to 28.426 million units worth RM4.109 million from 16.752  million units worth RM3.05 million on Wednesday.

Consumer products accounted for 139.50 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products 342.09 million, construction 79.57 million, trade and services 597.77 million, technology 50.70 million, infrastructure 24.32 million, SPAC 24.32 million, finance 77.57 million, hotels 4.7 million, properties 148.60 million, plantations 28.33 million, mining 108,000, REITs 5.5 million and closed/fund nil. — Bernama