Bursa opens higher across the board
KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia opened higher on a positive note across the board this morning, after global stocks touched record highs amid renewed optimism that the US Federal Reserve will maintain a gradual path of policy normalisation, said dealers.
At 9.05am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) stood at 1,756.89, up 3.11 points, from Thursday’s close of 1,753.78.
The key index opened 3.04 points better at 1,756.82.
Public Investment Bank Bhd said other factors which contributed to the rise in the local index was the steadier dollar and the increase in oil prices for a fourth successive session, with Brent attempting to establish a foothold above the US$48 a barrel level.
“On Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.2 per cent to 2,447.9 — just 0.2 per cent short of its all-time high — while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1 per cent to close at another record high,” it said.
Back home, market breadth was positive as gainers exceeded decliners 129 versus 63 with 156 counters were unchanged, 1,435 untraded while 21 others were suspended.
Turnover stood at 102.17 million shares worth RM35.27 million.
On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index gained 18.51 points to 12,514.77, the FBM Emas Syariah Index was up 16.11 points at 12,849.95 and FBM Ace increased 41.69 points to 6,733.89.
The FBM 70 perked 11 points to 14,880.26 and the FBMT100 Index rose 18.45 points to 12,160.69.
Sector-wise, the Finance Index expanded 30.65 points to 16,704.41, the Industrial Index inched up 0.12 of-a-point to 3,253.98 while the Plantation Index added 0.15 of-a-point to 7,867.02.
Among heavyweights, TNB, Public Bank, CIMB and IHH Healthcare improved two sen each to RM14.20, RM20.38, RM6.36 and RM5.97, respectively.
Sime Darby and Petronas Chemicals were flat at RM9.54 and RM6.95, respectively, while Maybank eased two sen to RMl9.59.
Of actives, Vivocom International, Sterling Progress, Frontken and Cuscapi all gained one sen each to 13 sen, 18.5 sen, 37.5 sen and 30.5, respectively.
Matang was flat at 12.5 sen while Compugates was half-a-sen lower at three sen.
Ajinomoto topped the gainers list after rising eight sen to RM23.50 while Berjaya Assets led the losers chart, giving up four sen to RM1.21.
The physical price of gold as at 9.30am stood at RM162.51 per gramme, down 74 sen from RM163.25 at 5pm yesterday. — Bernama