KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 ― The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) opened higher today, boosted by buying in selected heavyweights led by IHH Healthcare and Public Bank.

It was also in line with the stronger overnight performance of Wall Street.

At 9.15 am, the benchmark index rose 6.92 points to 1,692.28, after opening 1.59 points higher at 1,686.95.

IHH Healthcare expanded 12 sen to RM6.62 and Public Bank appreciated eight sen to RM18.58. Both stocks contributed 2.2 points to the stronger index.

JF Apex Securities said the FBM KLCI is expected to be positive and climb towards the psychological barrier of 1,700 points due to the recent bullish momentum and year-end window dressing activities.

It added that US markets rallied overnight following gains in technology stocks, oil and commodities prices.

"Similarly, the European equities advanced following a rebound in oil and commodities," said JF Apex Securities.

Brent crude oil settled 1.78 per cent higher at US$37.79 per barrel yesterday.

For the local heavyweights, Maybank gained three sen to RM8.47, TNB appreciated six sen to RM13.24, Public Bank rose eight sen to RM18.58 and Petronas Chemicals added one sen to RM7.23.

Among actives, JHM Consolidated improved four sen to 50 sen, Iskandar Watrefront City increased two sen to RM1.04, Heng Huat Resources was up 2.5 sen to 62 sen and Genetec Technology inched up half-a-sen to 30 sen.

The positive local market was also in tandem with its regional peers as Japan's Nikkei 225 advanced 0.57 per cent to 19,089.63, Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.36 per cent to 21,999.62 and Singapore's Straits Times was up 0.16 per cent to 2,892.95. 

On the local front, market breadth was positive with gainers trouncing losers 246 to 94, with 195 counters unchanged, 1,770 untraded and 57 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 154.34 million shares worth RM101.10 million.

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index bagged 47.30 points to 11,810.51, the FBMT100 Index improved 37.61 points to 11,475.57 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was up 37.86 points to 12,789.95.

The FBM Ace grew 38.28 points to 6,384.66 and the FBM 70 gained 9.75 points to 13,164.64.

On a sectoral basis, the Finance Index appreciated 76.1 points to 14,224.76, the Plantation Index increased 45.54 points to 7,590.8 and the Industrial Index fell 2.69 points to 3,247.09. ― Bernama