KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 ― Bursa Malaysia bucked the regional trend by paring earlier losses to end the morning session on a firm note, lifted by buying in heavyweight stocks.

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 7.25 points to 1,669.99 from yesterday's close of 1,662.74.

It opened 1.2 points lower at 1,661.54 and moved between 1,655.88 and 1,676.81 in the morning session.

On the broader market, it remained negative with losers outpacing gainers 693 to 399, while 478 counters were unchanged, 576 untraded and 19 others suspended.

Volume stood at 4.88 billion units worth RM2.34 billion.

Regionally, China's Shanghai Stock Exchange fell 0.45 per cent to 3,354.02, Singapore's Straits Times Index declined 0.38 per cent to 2,847.24 and Japan’s Nikkei 225 slipped 0.29 per cent to 26,654.42, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index eased 0.65 per cent to 26,216.60.

 A dealer said the local bourse opened lower, extending yesterday’s losses in tandem with regional peers which came under pressure following overnight US stocks slipping for the fourth consecutive day as investors weighed the US$908 stimulus progress and vaccine distribution.

Concerns about increasing Covid-19 deaths, infections and lockdowns had suppressed optimism surrounding the vaccines progress, he said.

“On the local front, yesterday’s profit-taking activities extended at the opening amid some developments on the political front, coupled with renewed selling on rubber glove counters.

“Nonetheless, market undertone remained strong; hence, the market saw buying on weakness activities in heavyweight stocks, lifting the barometer index higher towards the end of the morning session,” he added.

Among the heavyweights, Public Bank rose 40 sen to RM21.70, Petronas Chemicals added two sen at RM7.87, Tenaga increased 20 sen to RM10.80 and Top Glove gained eight sen to RM6.38.

Maybank shed six sen to RM8.84.

Of the actives, Sino Hua-An improved three sen to 19 sen and Yong Tai added two sen to 30.5 sen while  XOX, Iris and P.A. Resources were flat at 10.5 sen, 37 sen and 18.5 sen, respectively.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index was 23.4 points higher at 11,955.36, the FBMT 100 Index advanced 26.87 points to 11,727.10, the FBM ACE rose 140.05 points to 10,608.17, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index bagged 25.63 points to 13,234.22.

The FBM 70 decreased 59.99 points to 15,137.64.

Meanwhile, the Industrial Products and Services Index slid 0.30 of a point to 176.15, the Plantation Index lost 20.84 points to 7,321.75 and the Financial Services Index declined 11.85 points to 15,902.49. ― Bernama