KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 29 — The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) opened higher today, lifted by buying interest in selected heavyweights, led by TNB. 

At 9.15 am, the benchmark index rose 6.05 points to 1,676.78, after opening 4.16 points higher at 1,674.89.

JF Apex Securities said the FBM KLCI is expected to face some selling pressure today in line with the weak performance posted by overseas bourses with resistance levels of 1,670 and 1,690 points. 

Overnight, US stocks closed lower in thin trade and weighed down by energy stocks due to a slide in oil prices, it added.

Similarly, European markets also ended lower due to the lower oil prices.

Brent crude oil settled 3.8 per cent lower yesterday at US$36.96 per barrel.

For the local heavyweights, TNB jumped 10 sen to RM13.30, Axiata and IHH Healthcare gained three sen each to RM6.35 and RM6.50 respectively, while IOI Corp rose four sen to RM4.32. 

Among actives, Borneo Oil and Kim Teck Cheong Consolidated edged up half-a-sen to 15.5 sen and 38.5 sen respectively, Hubline was flat at one sen and Hibiscus Petroleum inched down half-a-sen to 23.5 sen.

Weaker sentiment dominated regional bourses with Japan's Nikkei 225 easing 0.10 per cent to 18,854.09, as Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.99 per cent to 21,919.62 and China's Shanghai Composite Index contracted 2.59 per cent 3,533.78. But, the Singapore's Straits Times rose 0.25 per cent to 2,882.59.

On the local front, market breadth was positive with gainers leading losers 177 to 81, with 185 counters unchanged, 1,327 untraded and 56 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 336.66 million shares worth RM79.40 million.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index bagged 32.32 points to 11,706.41, the FBMT100 Index improved 32.57 points to 11,379.38 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was up 35.2 points to 12,694.64.

The FBM Ace eased 0.89 of-a-point to 6,369.61 and the FBM 70 gained 6.92 points to 13,086.17.

On a sectoral basis, the Finance Index appreciated 37.53 points to 14,102.32, as the Industrial Index added 7.94 points to 3,200.82 and the Plantation Index increased 22.69 points to 7,522.71. — Bernama