KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 18 — Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session higher in line with most regional peers, coupled with continued buying activities in index-linked counters led by Public Bank, Hartalega and CIMB Group.
At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 5.96 points firmer at 1,604.24.
The FBM KLCI, which opened 4.61 points higher at 1,602.89, fluctuated between 1,602.76 and 1,609.62 during the morning session.
Market breadth was positive with gainers leading losers 540 to 437, while 457 counters were unchanged, 855 untraded and 22 others suspended.
Turnover stood at 2.84 billion units worth RM1.51 billion.
An analyst said the market stability was in line with the US market, which saw the best week in nearly three months last week, lifted by optimism on the corporate earnings seasons as well as improved labour data.
On the local front, he said the market remained robust, extending gains made last Friday, as it rode on the recovery theme as well as steady crude oil prices.
Regionally, the Singapore’s Straits Times Index added 0.29 per cent to 3,173.91, South Korea’s Kospi improved 0.88 per cent to 3,015.16, Japan’s Nikkei 225 increased 1.81 per cent to 29,068.63 and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 1.48 per cent to 25,330.96.
Of the heavyweights, Maybank bagged two sen to RM8.28, Petronas Chemicals increased one sen to RM8.76, Public Bank rose four sen to RM4.24, and Hartalega improved 17 sen to RM6.19.
Among the actives, Macpie added 2.5 sen to 13 sen, Joe Holding was flat at 4.5 sen and Tiger Synergy gained half-a-sen to 4.5 sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index went up 38.19 points to 11,807.06, the FBMT 100 Index improved 40.28 points to 11,447.02, the FBM Emas Shariah Index rose 24.18 points to 12,901.19, the FBM 70 ticked up 45.78 points to 15,490.34, and the FBM ACE firmed 67.31 points to 7,253.62.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index added 88.53 points to 15,793.99, the Industrial Products and Services Index inched up 0.04 point to 212.98, and the Plantation Index climbed 13.30 points to 7,053.34. — Bernama
