KUALA LUMPUR, April 23 — Bursa Malaysia was firmer at mid-day today, lifted by buying interest in selected heavyweight stocks, namely Malaysia Airports and Tenaga, dealers said.
At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 0.19 per cent or 3.09 points to 1,625.15, from yesterday's close of 1,622.06.
The index opened 2.06 points firmer at 1,624.12 and moved between 1,620.93 and 1,625.59 throughout the morning session.
On the broader market, however, losers outpaced gainers 439 to 253, while 385 counters were unchanged, 839 untraded and 32 others suspended.
Turnover stood at 2.14 billion shares worth RM1.25 billion.
Shares of Malaysia Airports advanced 19 sen to RM7.30, while Tenaga rose 10 sen to RM12.26.
Maybank IB Research said news of the revival of the Bandar Malaysia project had sparked interest in the construction sector, but several stocks may have run ahead.
“Meanwhile, interest in large caps remains muted and we expect the FBM KLCI to continue to range between 1,610 and 1,640 today. Downside supports are at 1,615 and 1,600,” it said in a research note today.
Some construction stocks declined, including the most actively-traded shares, namely Ekovest which dropped 8.5 sen to 88.5 sen. IWCity which fell nine sen to RM1.23 and Gadang having eased 3.5 sen to 91 sen.
Dental chain Smile-Link Healthcare Global which made its debut on the Bursa Malaysia Leading Entrepreneur Accelerator Platform (LEAP) Market today, added 1.5 sen to 12.5 sen with 420,000 shares changing hands as at lunch break.
Meanwhile, among heavyweights, Maybank and CIMB were each flat at RM9.15 and RM5.17 respectively, while Public Bank gained four sen to RM22.58 and Petronas Chemicals increased three sen to RM8.93.
For the top gainers, DLady recovered 30 sen to RM64.00, DWL added 28 sen to RM1.96 and Daibochi rose 22 sen to RM2.27.
The FBM Emas Index was 8.28 points higher at 11,565.66, the FBMT 100 Index was 11.74 points better at 11,380.84 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index improved 3.32 points to 11,753.21.
The FBM 70, however, eased 22.95 points to 14,592.59, but the FBM Ace was firmer by 5.92 points to 4,721.11.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index rose 9.97 points to 16,821.51, but the Plantation Index fell 5.16 points to 7,203.39 and the Industrial Products & Services Index was 0.29 of-a-point higher at 169.28. — Bernama
