KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 ― Bullish global sentiment including higher crude oil prices and improvement in the US stock market lifted Bursa Malaysia today, with the FBM KLCI ending just a whisker away of its intraday high.

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) moved between 1,619.48 and 1,634.41 throughout the day, before settling 12.18 points higher at 1,633.39, from yesterday's close of 1,621.21.

Gainers led losers 479 to 341 with 335 counters unchanged, 556 untraded and 13 others were suspended.

Volume was unchanged at 1.7 billion shares but worth slightly higher at RM1.72 billion, compared with Monday's 1.7 billion shares worth RM1.69 billion.

A dealer said besides the local bourse, other Asian markets were also trending higher.

"Stock markets in the region rose, spurred by technology giant Apple Inc's biggest rise in over two months, while Brent crude oil price reached a six-month high of US$49.47 per barrel.

"This has boosted the global market including the Bursa Malaysia...therefore investors were hoping to see this trend to continue further," the dealer said, adding investors hoped the oil price could break the US$50 per barrel level soon.

Global benchmark Brent crude last hit the US$50-level on Nov 4 last year.

However, some traders were still cautious ahead of the US Federal Reserve policy meeting tomorrow, the dealer added.

Of heavyweights, Maybank rose eight sen to RM8.53, Public Bank added 16 sen to RM19.16, while both TNB and IHH were flat at RM14 and RM6.57, respectively.

Among actives, AirAsia X gained 1.5 sen to 41 sen, AirAsia advanced 10 sen to RM2.32 but Vivocom and Compugates shed half-a-sen each to 33 sen and 4.5 sen, respectively.

The FBM Emas Index was 65.80 points higher at 11,415.92, the FBMT100 Index rose 63.75 points to 11,103.92 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index gained 57.80 points to 11,906.81.

The FBM 70 was 5.73 points better at 12,836.76, the FBM Ace increased 74.03 points to 5,773.47 and the Finance Index put on 83.32 points to 14,307.76.

The Plantation Index edged up 53.16 points to 7,490.77 and the Industrial Index was 40.47 points higher at 3,054.81.

Main Market turnover was higher at 1.19 billion units valued at RM1.62 billion from 1.02 billion units valued at RM1.55 billion yesterday.

The ACE Market turnover fell to 381.94 million units worth RM78.02 million, versus yesterday's 540.48 million units valued at RM124.58 million.

Warrants eased to 131.08 million units worth RM19.15 million, from 139.94 million units valued at RM19.29 million.

Consumer products accounted for 108.37 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (221.79 million), construction (59.21 million), trade and services (595.52 million), technology (24.92 million), infrastructure (9.16 million), SPAC (9.75 million), finance (51.34 million), hotels (1.51 million), properties (81.54 million), plantations (21.34 million), mining (12,100), REITs (7.30 million) and closed/fund (6,400). ― Bernama