KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 9 — Bursa Malaysia closed at its intraday high today with the benchmark composite index rising 1.4 per cent on continuous buying support in selected financial services stocks led by Maybank and Public Bank, a dealer said.

The two heavyweights contributed a combined 6.26 points to the gains in the market bellwether.

At 5pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) surged 21.42 points to 1,551.51 from 1,530.09 at yesterday’s close.

The index, which opened 1.10 points higher at its intraday low of 1,531.19, moved steadily throughout the session.

Overall market breadth was positive with advancers outnumbering decliners 579 to 412, while 411 counters were unchanged, 811 untraded, and 10 others suspended.

Total turnover improved to 2.96 billion units worth RM2.52 billion against 2.85 billion units worth RM2.17 billion at yesterday’s close.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research Thong Pak Leng said the key regional markets also showed upbeat performance following positive cues from Wall Street overnight.

“Investors continued their bargain-hunting activities while at the same time optimistic on positive corporate earnings news across the region.

“As for the local bourse, we expect the uptrend to continue due to improved market sentiment and renewed optimism,” he told Bernama.

Thong said the FBM KLCI was expected to trade within the 1,545-1,560 range for the remainder of the week.

Regionally, Singapore’s Straits Times Index rose 0.45 per cent to 3,417.11, Japan’s Nikkei 225 increased 1.08 per cent to 27,579.87, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index added 2.06 per cent to 24,829.99, while China’s SSE Composite Index put on 0.79 per cent to 3,479.95.

Back home, heavyweights, Maybank advanced 15 sen to RM8.50, Public Bank added nine sen to RM4.30, both CIMB and Digi improved 16 sen to RM5.40 and RM3.99, respectively, and Press Metal firmed 19 sen to RM6.49.

Of the actives, VSolar rose half-a-sen to 1.5 sen, AirAsia added 2.5 sen to 68.5 sen, DneX perked up 4.5 sen to RM1.02, while MMAG eased half-a-sen to eight sen and Sedania soared 10.5 sen to 50.5 sen.

On the index board, the FBM ACE rose 60.10 points to 6,307.71, FBM 70 expended 92.19 points to 13,704.99, FBM Emas Index climbed 128.65 points to 11,158.08, FBMT 100 Index jumped 132.43 points to 10,838.78, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index bagged 101.78 points to 11,848.31.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index surged 284.95 points to 16,112.73, the Plantation Index added 65.14 points to 6,683.72, and the Industrial Products and Services Index was 2.19 points better at 207.84.

The Main Market volume narrowed to 1.75 billion shares valued at RM2.23 billion against 2.02 billion shares valued at RM1.95 billion on Tuesday.

Warrants turnover improved to 305.24 million units worth RM38.68 million from 267.55 million units worth RM32.84 million previously.

The ACE Market volume advanced to 903.64 million shares valued at RM248.37 million versus 560.48 million shares valued at RM189.10 million yesterday.

Consumer products and services counters accounted for 356.16 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products and services (452.38 million), construction (66.64 million), technology (306.87 million), SPAC (nil), financial services (94.43 million), property (90.34 million), plantation (21.96 million), REITs (6.94 million), closed/fund (2,000), energy (132.40 million), healthcare (90.18 million), telecommunications and media (24.97 million), transportation and logistics (61.75 million), and utilities (42.35 million). — Bernama