Bursa Malaysia ends higher, CI up 17.98 pts

KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended higher today on strong buying support across-the-board, in tandem with regional peers.
At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 17.98 points to 1,715.67, after moving between 1,701.14 and 1,717.14 throughout the session.
The index opened 3.45 points higher at 1,701.14 from Wednesday's close of 1,697.69.
Market breadth was positive as gainers led losers at 595 to 308 with 369 counters unchanged, 424 untraded and 15 others suspended.
Volume rose to 3.13 billion units worth RM3.05 billion against Wednesday's 3.02 billion units worth RM2.33 billion.
A dealer said the bourse was higher throughout the session with persistent buying support across-the-board led by Maybank and Petronas Chemicals.
Asian stocks took the cue from Wall Street which set overnight record on optimism about global growth and bets of a US rate rise this month, he said.
"Investors viewed positively US President Donald Trump's pledge to invest heavily in infrastructure, cut corporate taxes and ease regulations," he said.
Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 0.88% to 19,564.80, South Korean Kospi's improved 0.53% to 2,102.65 and Singapore's Straits Times added 0.33% to 3,131.37.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng, however, fell 0.20% to 23,728.07.
Of the heavyweights, Maybank rose 13 sen to RM8.75, Public Bank and TNB gained four sen each to RM19.98 and RM13.58 respectively, Sime Darby improved eight sen to RM9.12 and Petronas Chemicals increased 20 sen to RM7.50.
Among actives, Dagang Nexchange warrant bagged three sen to 21 sen, Dagang Nexchange gained 1.5 sen to 44 sen, sen and Censof Holdings warrant added one sen to 16 sen.
Hibiscus Petroleum was flat at 49 sen.
The FBM Emas Index jumped 125.91 points to 12,107.78, FBM Emas Syariah Index rose 112 points to 12,541.84 and the FBMT100 Index surged 123.47 points to 11,789.31.
The FBM Ace added 28.4 points to 5,261.54 and the FBM 70 jumped 147.41 points to 14,102.83.
On a sectoral basis, the Finance Index climbed 224.18 points to 15,312.07, Industrial Index edged up 21.43 points to 3,256.09 and the Plantation Index rose 60.67 points to 8,138.93.
Main Market turnover rose to 2.36 billion units worth RM2.92 billion versus Wednesday's 2.31 billion units worth RM2.24 billion.
Volume on the ACE Market decreased to 464.35 million shares valued at RM82.68 million from 497.58 million shares valued at RM69.16 million yesterday.
Warrants surged to 301.51 units worth RM42.44 million from 209.87 million units worth RM25.36 million yesterday.
Consumer products accounted for 118.15 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (404.08 million), construction (172.49 million), trade and services (1.12 billion), technology (207.95 million), infrastructure (9.25 million), SPAC (10.86 million), finance (108.82 million), hotels (871,200), properties (156.80 million), plantations (33.77 million), mining (77,500), REITs (15.17 million), and closed/fund (17,400).
The physical price of gold as at 5pm stood at RM172.21 per gramme, down ten sen from RM172.31 at 5pm yesterday. — Bernama