KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 — Shares on Bursa Malaysia extended yesterday’s gains to open higher today as market sentiment was lifted by higher regional equities.

At 9.16am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) stood at 1,694.87, up 2.13 points from yesterday’s close of 1,692.74.

The index opened 1.29 points firmer at 1,694.03.

Regionally, Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.09 per cent to 3,268.82, Jakarta Composite Index was up 1.70 per cent to 6,497.81 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 1.60 per cent to 28,347.01.

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In a note, Public Investment Bank Bhd said the FBM KLCI would continue to trend higher today as the regional equities kicked off the week with strong gains, propelled by a solid close on Wall Street on Friday.

“Stocks across Asia Pacific got off to a robust start after broad declines on Friday, as trade war optimism on Wall Street in the interim fed through to markets in the region,” it added.

Meanwhile, Wall Street was closed yesterday for a public holiday in honour of George Washington, the first President of the United States.

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Among heavyweights on Bursa Malaysia, Maybank added one sen to RM9.49, Public Bank was flat at RM25, Tenaga eased two sen to RM12.98 and Petronas Chemicals gained 16 sen to RM8.73.

Of actives, EA Holdings and TRC Synergy were each one sen higher at 2.5 sen and 58.5 sen, respectively, while Bumi Armada lost half-a-sen to 22 sen.

The FBM Emas Index increased 15.56 points to 11,796.27, the FBM Emas Shariah Index went up 22.19 points to 11,725.91 and the FBMT 100 rose 15.34 points to 11,657.29.

The FBM Ace Index was 18.28 points higher at 4,672.46 and the FBM 70 rose 21.47 points to 14,093.43.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index was up 17.50 points at 17,670.35, the Plantation Index edged down 8.03 points to 7,317.88 and the Industrial Products and Services Index was 1.06 of-a-point higher at 164.63.

Market breadth was positive with gainers outpacing losers 155 to 123, while 240 counters were unchanged, 1,336 untraded and 20 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 220.83 million shares worth RM87.96 million. — Bernama