KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 7 — Bursa Malaysia remained higher at mid-afternoon with investors continuing their buying spree in selected heavyweights and index-linked stocks, after the Chinese New Year holidays on Tuesday and yesterday.
At 3.02pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 0.3 per cent or 5.09 points higher at 1,688.7 from Monday's close of 1,683.61.
The index opened 4.39 points firmer at 1,688.
Market breadth was positive with gainers outpacing losers 343 to 272 while 295 counters were unchanged, 944 untraded and 24 others suspended.
Turnover was thin at 792.48 million shares worth RM538.79 million.
Oanda senior market analyst Jeffrey Halley said globally, equity markets consolidated overnight in the United States following weak data from Germany.
“Singapore (stock exchange) is back from the holidays today but China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea are still closed for the Lunar New Year festive, implying that trading will continue its muted theme in Asia,” he said.
Among heavyweights on Bursa Malaysia, Maybank rose three sen to RM9.60, Public Bank increased two sen to RM24.84, Tenaga improved 20 sen to RM13.14, Petronas Chemicals and IHH Healthcare were both flat at RM8.45 and RM5.69, respectively.
Of actives, Seacera improved 2.5 sen to 27.5 sen, Sino Huan-An gained two sen to 19.5 sen and V.S. Industry perked three sen to 84.5 sen.
The FBM Emas Index was 41.45 points firmer at 11,714.59, the FBMT 100 Index gained 37.52 points to 11,593.95 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index improved 46.65 points to 11,589.81.
The FBM Ace Index added 1.62 points to 4,474.8 and the FBM 70 rose 55.67 points to 13,930.66.
Sectorwise, the Financial Services Index was 45.18 points better at 17,615, the Plantation Index increased 31.86 points to 7,300.57 but the Industrial Products and Services Index shed 0.06 of-a-point to 161.36. — Bernama
