KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 — Bursa Malaysia opened higher today, boosted by buying interest in heavyweights led by Sime Darby.
At 9.30am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 4.64 points higher at 1,686.24, against Monday’s close of 1,681.60.
It opened 5.02 points stronger at 1,686.62.
Among heavyweights, Sime Darby and Public Bank both expanded eight sen to RM7.95 and RM19.86 respectively, while CIMB added three sen to RM4.83, Maxis gained four sen to RM6.37 and Petronas Gas surged 20 sen to RM22.32. Hong Leong Investment Bank said the key index might inch up today in the wake of the overnight rally on Wall Street.
“However, the Merdeka Day celebration tomorrow and concerns over the high probability of a second US Federal Reserve interest rate hike in September, may cap any rebound near 1,688 levels,” it said in a research note today. The FBM Emas Index firmed 26.20 points to 11,816.95, the FBMT 100 Index increased 27.79 points to 11,532.75 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index rose 15.67 points to 12,433.46.
The FBM 70 appreciated 18.53 points to 13,585.47, and the FBM Ace was 14.11 points higher at 5,330.71.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index jumped 72.78 points to 14,531.44, the Plantation Index gained 17.89 points to 7,804.55 and the Industrial Index improved 18.73 points to 3,164.47.
Gainers led losers 205 to 191, while 203 counters were unchanged, 1,114 untraded and 56 others suspended.
Turnover stood at 183.597 million shares worth RM141.198 million. Of actives, MYEG strengthened nine sen to RM2.16, AirAsia firmed six sen to RM3.05, Sycal Ventures edged up half-a-sen to 34.5 sen and Dancomech Holdings ticked up one sen to RM1.29.
