KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — Bursa Malaysia remained in positive territory at mid-afternoon, lifted by gains in selected heavyweights.
At 3.01pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 11.15 points higher at 1,703.89 from Monday’s close of 1,692.74, after opening 1.29 points firmer at 1,694.03.
Gainers led losers 433 to 331 with 374 counters unchanged, 716 untraded and 20 others suspended.
Turnover stood at 1.89 billion shares worth RM1.25 billion.
A dealer said market sentiment on the local bourse was lifted after Asian shares, as captured by the MSCI Asia Pacific ex Japan index, hovered near a four-month peak today, supported by hopes that trade talks between China and the United States were making positive progress and expectations of policy stimulus from central banks.
Regionally, Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.16 per cent to 3,271.32, Jakarta Composite Index gained 0.17 per cent to 6,509.15 and Japan’s Nikkei Index was 0.1 per cent higher at 21,302.65.
Among local heavyweights, Maybank was flat at RM9.48, Public Bank rose six sen to RM25.06, Tenaga gained 14 sen to RM13.14 and Petronas Chemicals increased 36 sen to RM8.93.
Of actives, Sapura Energy and EA Holdings each gained half-a-sen to 31 sen and two sen, respectively, while Bumi Armada lost one sen to 21.5 sen.
The FBM Emas Index was 78.63 points higher at 11,859.34, the FBM Emas Shariah Index increased 122.58 points to 11,826.30 and the FBMT 100 Index gained 78.42 points to 11,720.37.
The FBM Ace Index was 4.48 points higher at 4,458.66 and the FBM 70 rose 102.13 points to 14,174.08.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index was 27.54 points better at 17,680.39, the Industrial Products and Services Index was 2.36 points better at 165.93 and the Plantation Index increased 62.02 points to 7,387.93. — Bernama
