KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 8 — The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) finished the morning session higher on buying interests in consumer products and services as well as plantation counters.
At 12.30pm, the benchmark index increased 2.21 points to 1,532.86 from 1,530.65 at yesterday’s close.
The FBM KLCI, which opened 2.68 points higher at 1,533.33, moved between 1,529.10 and 1,534.73 throughout the session.
Market breadth, however, remained negative with losers leading gainers 458 to 319, while 381 counters were unchanged, 1,054 untraded and 10 others suspended.
Turnover stood at 1.51 billion units worth RM947.00 million.
The local bourse’s uptrend was in tandem with most regional markets’ performance. Japan’s Nikkei Index rose 0.27 per cent to 27,322.41, Singapore’s Straits Times Index firmed 0.57 per cent to 3,385.56, and South Korea’s Kospi bagged 0.70 per cent to 2,764.40, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index lost 1.54 per cent to 24,202.19.
Rakuten Trade said the benchmark index was expected to trend within the 1,520-1,535 range today as profit-taking activities may emerge.
Among the heavyweights, Maybank rose two sen to RM8.35, IHH Healthcare and Public Bank added one sen each to RM6.46 and RM4.23 respectively, and Petronas Chemicals was flat at RM9.05.
As for the actives, ATA IMS rose four sen to 50.5 sen, Dagang NeXchange bagged one sen to 98 sen, and Sapura Energy was unchanged at five sen.
On the index board, the FBM ACE eased 3.83 points to 6,244.45, the FBM 70 inched up 0.83 of-a-point to 13,548.58, the FBM Emas Index gained 8.85 points to 11,027.71, the FBMT 100 Index added 11.85 points to 10,709.99, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index edged down 0.20 of-a-point to 11,754.30.
Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index improved 17.23 points to 15,843.85 and the Industrial Products and Services Index was 0.37 of-a-point better at 204.98, but the Plantation Index deducted 1.02 points to 6,610.75. — Bernama
