KUALA LUMPUR, April 3 — The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended the week higher in tracking the positive regional markets.

The index closed 2.55 points better at 1,834.52, after hovering between 1,829.74 and 1,836.82 throughout the day.

HLIB Research said the local bourse would likely extend its upside gains towards the 1,843 and 1,850 levels in the short-term, given the FBM KLCI’s recent decisive breakout from stiff resistance at the downtrend line of 1,813 and 1,821 this week.

“The anticipation of an easing of more monetary policies from China will also potentially spur growth,” it said in a note.

Gainers outpaced losers by 383 to 360, while 345 counters were unchanged, 701 untraded and 11 others suspended.

Total volume was lower at 1.78 billion units worth RM1.28 billion from yesterday’s 2.16 billion units worth RM2.03 billion.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank added 5.0 sen to RM9.45, Public Bank gained 10 sen to RM19.02, Axiata gained 1.0 sen to RM7.07, while Tenaga was flat at RM14.30.

Ingenuity, which topped the most active counters, added half-a-sen to 9.0 sen, while DGB Asia and Genetec lost half-a-sen each to 12.5 sen and 20 sen, respectively.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index appreciated 18.01 points to 12,583.03 and the FBMT100 Index increased 17.58 points to 12,279.09.But the FBM Ace fell 2.35 points to 7,232.04.

The FBM Emas Syariah Index rose 21.11 points to 13,134.2 and the FBM 70 increased 21.22 points to 13,486.75.

On a sectoral basis, the Industrial Index fell 2.18 points to 3,356.09, the Plantation Index gained 11.79 points to 7,812.29 and the Finance Index appreciated 54.68 points to 16,327.94.

Main Market volume decreased to 807.98 million shares worth RM1.08 billion from Thursday’s 1.04 billion shares worth RM1.79 billion.

Turnover on the ACE Market fell to 933.98 million shares worth RM192.8 million from 1.06 billion shares worth RM234.31 million recorded previously.

Warrants contracted to 46.6 million units worth RM5.58 million from 46.92 million units worth RM8.12 million.

Consumer products accounted for 131.13 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (143.65 million), construction (67.29 million), trade and services (266.47 million), technology (73.79 million), infrastructure (8.93 million), SPAC (14.2 million), finance (22.07 million), hotels (8.8 million), properties (58.64 million), plantations (6.88 million), mining (35,000), REITs (6.03 million) and closed/fund (143,000). — Bernama