KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — Bursa Malaysia closed the morning session higher on stronger buying support as market sentiment was lifted by gains in regional equities.
At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 11.09 points better at 1,703.83 from yesterday’s close of 1,692.74.
After opening 1.29 points firmer at 1,694.03, the local index ranged between 1,693.37 and 1,704.21 throughout the session.
A dealer said market sentiment on Bursa was lifted after Asian shares hovered near a four-month peak today, supported by hopes that trade talks between China and the United States were making positive progress and the expectations of policy stimulus from central banks.
Regionally, Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.11 per cent to 3,269.70, Jakarta Composite Index increased 0.30 per cent to 6,517.08 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.08 per cent to 28,368.65.
On Bursa Malaysia, the broader market was positive with gainers outpacing decliners 393 to 295, while 379 counters were unchanged, 787 untraded and 20 others suspended.
Turnover amounted to 1.63 billion shares worth RM1.03 billion.
Among heavyweights, Maybank was flat at RM9.48, Public Bank rose six sen to RM25.06, Tenaga gained 10 sen to RM13.10 and Petronas Chemicals increased 30 sen to RM8.87.
Among actives, Sapura Energy rose one sen to 31.5 sen, Bumi Armada lost half-a-sen to 22 sen and EA Holdings gained half-a-sen to two sen.
The FBM Emas Index was 74.12 points higher at 11,854.83, the FBMT 100 Index increased 74.28 points to 11,716.23 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index surged 111.95 points to 11,815.67.
The FBM 70 went up 81.66 points to 14,153.61 while the FBM Ace Index decreased 7.26 points to 4,646.92.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index was 34.97 points higher at 17,687.82, the Plantations Index gained 59.13 points to 7,385.04 and the Industrial Products and Services Index was 1.85 of-a-point better at 165.42. — Bernama
