KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 — Bursa Malaysia closed firmer on the last day of the first half of the year on continued buying support in selected heavyweights, led by finance and consumers counters.

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI), which opened 2.48 points higher at 1,644.69, finished at 1,654.08, up 11.87 points, or 0.72 per cent, from yesterday’s close of 1,642.21.

It moved between 1,644.11 and 1,654.17 throughout the day.

On the first day of the first half of this year, the FBM KLCI ended easier by 39.14 points, or 2.31 per cent, to 1,653.37.

British American Tobacco, which was the top contributor to the index’s gain, rose by RM1.90 to RM52.70, followed by Dutch Lady (+50 sen to RM58.50) and Hong Leong Financial (+38 sen to RM14.68).

Other leading movers were KESM, which gained 37 sen to RM5.60, Panasonic (+18 sen to RM29.78) and MSM Malaysia (+16 sen to RM5.00).

A dealer said the higher close was also in line with the bullish regional markets despite Britain’ exit (Brexit) from the European Union.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.06 per cent to 15,575.92, South Korea’s KOSPI Composite Index edged up 0.72 per cent to 1,970.35 and Singapore’s Straits Times increased 1.61 per cent 2,837.71.

In a statement today, FXTM Chief Market Strategist, Hussein Sayed, said the global post-Brexit relief rally continued to push Asian stocks higher today, after US stocks ended yesterday’s session sharply higher, recovering more than half of its losses triggered by the Brexit vote.

“While the rallies in the equity markets suggest that some investors are becoming less worried about the economic impact a Brexit might cause in the foreseeable future as central banks and policymakers stand ready to intervene whenever needed,” he said.

Market breadth was mixed with lossers led gainers by 387 to 385, with 352 counters were unchanged, 601 untraded and 41 others were suspended.

Total volume increased to 1.46 billion units worth RM2.04 billion from yesterday’s 1.35 billion shares worth RM1.54 billion.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank advanced two sen to RM8.14, TNB and RHB Bank rose by four sen each to RM14.10 and RM5.12 respectively, Public Bank and Hong Leong increased by 10 sen each to RM19.40 and RM13.18 respectively.

Sime Darby and Genting rose 13 sen each to RM7.59 and RM8.20 respectively, Maxis was up eight sen to RM5.89 and Petronas Chemicals increased by 11 sen to RM6.61.

Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd said from a technical perspective, the underlying index was still trapped within its consolidation zone as it struggled to decisively close above the 1,640-mark.

“The absence of high trading volume also suggests that most investors are prudent and selective in their decisions.

“We still believe that the FBM KLCI will trade downside within 1,600-1,640 this week on tepid trading volume, whereby resistance level is now switched to 1,650 and 1,665 while supports are located at 1,640 and 1,620,” it said in a note.

The FBM Emas Index rose by 62.67 points to 11,530.21, FBMT 100 Index jumped 65.57 points higher to 11,238.05 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 45.96 points higher to 12,102.94.

The FBM 70 added 15.53 points to 12,965.97. The FBM Ace fell 16.64 points to 5,145.07.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index gained 95.85 points to 14,205.21 and the Industrial Index soared 22.67 points to 3,107.64. The Plantation Index erased 10.96 points to 7,563.67.

Main Market turnover rose to 907.96 million shares worth RM1.89 billion from yesterday’s 766.44 million shares worth RM1.42 billion.

The ACE Market volume declined to 176.05 million units valued at RM38.74 million from 287.56 million units valued at RM66.42 million yesterday.

Warrants rose to 362.82 million shares worth RM69.47 million from 282.57 million shares worth RM49.13 million yesterday.

Consumer products accounted for 37.27 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (237.50 million), construction (36.20 million), trade and services (351.14 million), technology (44.88 million), infrastructure (13.12 million), SPAC (4.14 million), finance (107.21 million), hotels (622,200), properties (49.95 million), plantations (12.87 million), mining (104,100), REITs (12.94 million) and closed/fund (4,400). — Bernama