KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — Bursa Malaysia remained firm at mid-day today, in line with regional peers’ performance and optimism of the latest round US-China trade negotiation.
At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 8.81 points to 1,565.65 from last Friday’s 1,556.84.
The benchmark index opened 5.81 points higher at 1,562.65 and moved between 1,562.65 and 1,568.96 throughout the morning session.
On the broader market, gainers led losers 413 to 306 with 370 counters were unchanged, 909 untraded and 42 others suspended.
Turnover amounted to 1.79 billion shares worth RM900.54 million.
Regionally, Japan’s Nikkei improved 1.15 per cent to 21,798.87, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index increased 1.03 per cent to 26,578.41 while Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.36 per cent to 3,125.16.
A dealer said equity markets worldwide were in the black since last Friday with much of the positive vibes stoked by the latest high-level trade talks between the US and China.
Foreign investors then took a breather from selling activities, fuelled by the possibility that the US and China may reach a partial trade deal.
Locally, Bursa Malaysia also saw the improved market sentiment which prompted further trading activities with the broader market shares and the lower liners also firmed-up further, he said.
“The FBM Small Cap index has perked up which we see continuing over the near term. We also think that technology stocks will also make further headway as technology and construction stocks are seen as the major beneficiaries of Budget 2020,” he added.
Among heavyweights, Maybank rose 11 sen to RM8.55, Public Bank gained 10 sen to RM19.18 and Petronas Chemicals increased eight sen to RM7.31.
IHH Healthcare eased one sen to RM5.64 and Tenaga fell eight sen to RM13.80.
Of the most actives, NetX Holdings and Sapura Energy edged up half-a-sen to 25 sen and 27.5 sen respectively, Green Packet’s warrant improved two sen to 31.5 sen and Bumi Armada added three sen to 40 sen.
Debutant AME Elite rose 18 sen to RM1.48.
The FBM Emas Index increased 65.17 points to 11,146.98, the FBMT 100 Index gained 67.62 points to 10,963.06 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index added 61.58 points to 11,777.95.
The FBM 70 surged 110.89 points to 14,054.86 while the FBM Ace rose 16.12 points to 4,635.25.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index increased 135.84 points to 15,126.17, the Plantation Index was 37.90 points higher at 6,578.79, and the Industrial Products & Services Index was 0.62 of-a-point better at 151.05. — Bernama
