Bursa Malaysia Opens Higher, Tracking Overnight Wall St Gains

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia opened higher, rebounding on a stronger Wall Street performance overnight, according to an analyst.

At 9.15 am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 6.10 points to 1,615.36, up from yesterday’s close of 1,609.26.

The benchmark index began the day 0.76 of-a-point higher at 1,610.02.

Across the broader market, gainers led losers 252 to 155, with 288 counters unchanged, 1,709 untraded, and 13 suspended.

Turnover was 208.65 million shares, valued at RM109.88 million.

Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said the US stock market continued to rise on optimism from Trump’s win, alongside a strengthening US dollar. 

“With these positive factors, we expect buying interest in the local bourse, especially in export-oriented sectors like technology and glove,” it said in a note today.

The stockbroking firm also predicted tighter vegetable oil supply due to increased biodiesel mandates in Indonesia, which could support local plantations such as Johor Plantations Group Bhd, further boosted by strong crude oil prices. 

“Additionally, we anticipate selected construction and building materials stocks to gain momentum during the earnings season, supported by data centre investments,” it added.

Among heavyweights, Malayan Banking Bhd gained 10 sen to RM10.44, CIMB Group added six sen to RM8.22, Public Bank rose three sen to RM4.44, Tenaga Nasional increased 12 sen to RM14.22, and IHH Healthcare climbed one sen to RM7.21.

In active stocks, Mpire Global was up three sen at 23 sen, while Aizo Group and Crest Group each added half-a-sen to 15.5 sen and 34 sen, respectively. 

Capital A gained two sen to RM1, while Azam Jaya remained unchanged at RM1.09.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Shariah Index gained 44.96 points to 12,219.92, while the FBM Emas Index rose 54.55 points to 12,234.43.

The FBMT 100 Index advanced 55.01 points to 11,936.10.

The FBM 70 Index was up 118.93 points to 17,868.15, and the FBM ACE Index rose 25.07 points to 5,151.70.

By sector, the Industrial Products and Services Index eased by 0.12 of-a-point to 171.41, the Energy Index dropped 2.05 points to 830.76, while the Plantation Index gained 38.25 points to 7,801.13, and the Financial Services Index climbed 118.08 points to 19,179.86.

-- BERNAMA