KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 16 — Bursa Malaysia closed firmer today buoyed by optimism over a possible Eurozone resolution to the Greece debt and crude oil price hike, dealers said.

At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) finished at 1,808.89, up 7.94 points after hovering between 1,800.24 and 1,809.71.

A dealer said investors are cautiously optimistic of the European Union making progress this week on a debt deal with Greece.

“Markets have generally assumed a compromise would eventually be found, given the alternative might be a disastrous Greek exit from the euro,” he added.

Meanwhile, Brent crude hit an eight-week high at above US$62 (RM221) a barrel after another drop in the US rig count, signalling the pressure producers face from low oil prices.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index was 34.2 points higher at 12,462.54, with the FBM Emas Syariah Index jumping 21.71 points to 12,951.27, the FBMT100 Index perking 32.28 points to 12,138.88 and the FBM Ace rising 34.45 points to 6,447.5.

The FBM 70 slid 45.17 points to 13,458.11.

On a sectoral basis, the Finance Index advanced 73.72 points to 15,996.17 and the Plantation Index improved 20.42 points to 8,185.34.But the Industrial Index decreased 1.72 points to 3,284.27.

Advancers outnumbered decliners 452 to 352, while 323 counters were unchanged, 644 untraded and 12 others suspended.   

Total turnover expanded to 2.06 billion units valued at RM2.12 billion from the 1.96 billion units valued at RM2.33 billion transacted on Friday.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank added one sen to RM9.20, TNB perked eight sen to RM14.02 and Axiata gained two sen to RM7.07.

Sime Darby lost eight sen to RM9.50, while Public Bank was flat at RM18.54.

Main Market volume narrowed to 1.33 billion shares worth RM1.98 billion from the 1.49 billion shares worth RM2.23 billion on Friday.

Turnover on the ACE Market widened to 614.83 million shares valued at RM117.66 million from 360.98 million shares valued at RM75.59 million.

Warrants increased to 114.91 million units worth RM17.34 million from 105.77 million units worth RM20.98 million previously.         

Consumer products accounted for 195.39 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (149.37 million), construction (66.2 million), trade and services (676.38 million), technology (57.84 million), infrastructure (23 million), SPAC (16.64 million), finance (49.59 million), hotels (1.45 million), properties (67.29 million), plantations (26.68 million), mining (11,000), REITs (2.93 million) and closed/fund (6,000). — Bernama