KUALA LUMPUR, March 3 — Index-linked stocks lifted the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) slightly at mid-morning, underpinned by gains in Hartalega and Top Glove.
This is on the back of lower market sentiment in the broader market with sellers thumping gainers by 622 to 375, while 387 counters were unchanged, 769 untraded and nine others suspended.
The benchmark FBM KLCI advanced 6.27 points or 0.4 per cent at 11.05 am to 1,576.14 from 1,569.87 at Tuesday’s closing. The key index opened 7.03 points higher at 1,576.9.
Total volume stood at 4.90 billion units worth RM2.22 billion.
Among the heavyweights, Hartalega jumped 48 sen to RM9.89, Top Glove strengthened 15 sen to RM4.90, Supermax soared 31 sen to RM4.42 and Petronas Chemicals went up 10 sen to RM7.63.
Maybank added two sen to RM8.19 while Public Bank, IHH Healthcare and CIMB were flat at RM4.22, RM5.50 and RM4.28, respectively. TNB and Press Metal shed four sen each to RM10.32 and RM9.66, respectively.
Of the actives, Parkson advanced 2.5 sen to 21.5 sen, Dynaciate added one sen to 14.5 sen, Radiant Globaltech increased two sen to 40 sen, and Mestron was flat at 27 sen. Dagang Nexchange and Kanger International both eased one sen to 65.5 sen and 9.5 sen, respectively, and Grand-Flo trimmed 13 sen to 45 sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index bagged 15.81 points to 11,592.33, the FBMT 100 Index gained 17.80 points to 11,292.52, the FBM Emas Shariah Index rose 32.8 points to 12,923.35. the FBM 70 narrowed 79.73 points to 15,456.11 and the FBM ACE slipped 89.21 points to 10,482.15.
Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index inched up 0.40 of-a-point to 184.44, the Plantation Index declined 11.06 points to 7,128.23, and the Financial Services Index lost 33.69 points to 14,999.14. — Bernama
