KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 — The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) opened higher this morning on improved buying sentiment despite the weaker performance on Wall Street.
At 9.10am, the key index stood at 1,783.89, up 5.73 points, after opening 2.59 points higher at 1,780.75.
A dealer said the improved buying sentiment was helped by Bank Negara Malaysia’s assurance that the country’s economic growth remained on a steady growth path of between 4.5 per cent and 5.5 per cent this year.
Market breadth was positive as gainers outpaced losers 181 to 84, with 150 counters unchanged, 1,345 untraded and 10 others were suspended.
Turnover stood at 207.98 million shares worth RM61.05 million.
On other scoreboards, the FBM Emas Index appreciated 34.34 points to 12,300.56, the FBMT100 Index rose 35.56 points to 11,986.02 and the FBM Emas Syariah Index added 29.54 points to 12,915.73.
The FBM 70 was 28.18 points higher at 13,341.12 and the FBM Ace increased 40.72 points to 7,026.57.
On a sectoral basis, the Finance Index garnered 63.11 points to 15,852.4, the Industrial Index improved 9.5 points to 3,288.99 but the Plantation Index was 13.93 points lower at 7,767.34.
Among heavyweights, Maybank rose eight sen to RM9.17, IHH Healthcare increased nine sen to RM5.46, Public Bank jumped 10 sen to RM18.30 while Axiata and Petronas Chemicals were five sen higher each at RM7.03 and RM5.14, respectively.
Of active stocks, The Media Shoppe edged up half-a-sen to seven sen, Nova MSC and Wintoni Group added one sen each to 17.5 sen and 35.5 sen, respectively while Genetec Technology increased 1.5 sen to 20 sen. — Bernama
