FBM KLCI HIGHER AT MIDDAY, TRACKING KEY REGIONAL PEERS

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session higher, supported by positive cues from Wall Street and regional markets.

At 12.30 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) gained 6.06 points to 1,602.26, compared with Monday's close of 1,596.20.

The benchmark index opened marginally higher, rising 0.44 of-a-point to 1,596.64, before reaching a session high of 1,603.57.

However, market breadth was negative, with decliners outpacing gainers 453 to 373.

A total of 472 counters were unchanged, 1,125 untraded, and nine suspended.

Turnover stood at 1.31 billion units, valued at RM853.10 million.

Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd noted that window dressing activities, particularly in the banking sector, would likely continue to support the key index.

However, it cautioned that with several global markets closing early ahead of Christmas Eve, trading may remain subdued.

Among heavyweights, Maybank and Tenaga Nasional gained two sen each, to RM10.10 and RM14.02, respectively. Public Bank and CIMB both rose four sen to RM4.56 and RM7.99, while IHH Healthcare gained three sen to RM7.06.

In active stocks, Genetec rose seven sen to RM1.31, Vanzo gained 1.5 sen to 18 sen, Winstar Capital added 3.5 sen to 64 sen, JCY rose two sen to 53 sen, and Sarawak Cable remained unchanged at 15 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index gained 27.74 points to 12,276.72, the FBM Emas Shariah Index climbed 12.16 points to 12,225.28, and the FBMT 100 Index rose 28.49 points to 11,963.20.

Meanwhile, the FBM ACE Index slipped 6.89 points to 5,240.38, and the FBM 70 Index shed 18.60 points to 18,363.09.

By sector, the Financial Services Index rose 47.16 points to 18,905.45, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down 0.32 of a point to 169.97, the Energy Index gained 4.38 points to 807.60, and the Plantation Index climbed 15.91 points to 7,503.72.

-- BERNAMA