KL shares end higher

KUALA LUMPUR: Shares on Bursa Malaysia closed higher today, propped up by gains in selected finance heavyweights and amid interest in small caps, dealers said.
The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 4.19 points to end at 1,663.03 compared with yesterday's close of 1,658.84.
After opening 1.46 points stronger at 1,660.3, the index moved within the range of 1,659.10 and 1,664.9 throughout the day.
A dealer said finance stocks rebounded after taking a hit yesterday following weaker market sentiment and due to concerns over the impact of Brexit as well as US policy uncertainty ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration this week.
Leading the finance counters, Hong Leong Bank perked 14 sen to RM13.24, Maybank chalked up 12 sen to RM8.17, RHB Bank Bhd rose eight sen to RM4.94, Public Bank bagged four sen to RM20.06 and CIMB gained two sen to RM4.74.
Among heavyweights, Sime Darby gained four sen to RM8.49 and Petronas Chemicals improved one sen to RM7.15.
TNB lost two sen to RM13.90.
For actives, ACE Market debutant Matang gained one sen to 14 sen, Hibiscus Petroleum garnered 3.5 sen to 48.5 sen, IFCA MSC improved two sen to 41.5 sen, SKH Consortium jumped one sen to eight sen and Sumatec inched up half a sen to 7.5 sen.
The FBM Emas Index improved 46.391 points to 11,661.45, the FBMT 100 Index increased 44.479 points to 11,366.09 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index firmed 26.609 points to 12,179.84.
The FBM Ace rose 21.13 points to 5,035.87 and the FBM 70 jumped 112.859 points to 13,363.26.
Sector-wise, the Industrial Index lost 3.54 points to 3,137.26, while the Finance Index rose 127.609 points to 14,678.76 and the Plantation Index gained 20.39 points at 7,913.63.
On the broader market, gainers edged losers 411 to 366, with 374 counters unchanged, 591 untraded and 17 others suspended.
Volume increased to 1.98 billion shares worth RM1.67 billion from yesterday's 1.78 billion shares worth RM1.61 billion.
Main Market turnover fell to 1.14 billion units worth RM1.53 billion from yesterday's 1.3 billion units worth RM1.53 billion.
ACE Market volume expanded to 726.08 million shares valued at RM127.58 million from 335.59 million shares valued at RM58.34 million.
Warrants declined to 117.51 million units worth RM18.04 million from 136.25 million units worth RM21.29 million.
Consumer products accounted for 98.66 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (315.19 million), construction (64.79 million), trade and services (355.4 million), technology (104.85 million), infrastructure (14.28 million), SPAC (328,700), finance (80.47 million), hotels (137,100), properties (64.61 million), plantations (16.90 million), mining (nil), REITs (26.95 million), and closed/fund (1,900).
The physical price of gold as at 5pm stood at RM168.33 per gramme, up RM1.46 from RM166.87 at 5pm yesterday. — Bernama