KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 ― Bursa Malaysia finished the morning session on a firm note today, buoyed by continued buying interest across the board.

 At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) stood at 1,611.42, rising 8.92 points from yesterday's close of 1,602.50.

After opening at 1,606.31, the key index moved between 1,606.31 and 1,612.62 throughout the morning session. 

Market breadth remained positive, with gainers thumped losers 514 to 325, while 353 counters remained unchanged, 754 untraded and 22 others suspended.  

Turnover amounted to 2.26 billion shares worth RM1.18 billion.

Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd reckoned that the upside on lower liners persisted as investors return from the year-end break.

"We continue to think that they will make a beeline to the market and pick-up speculative plays, taking advantage of the more positive market environment to undertake increase trading activities," it said in a note today.

However, the brokerage firm cautioned that the toppish condition would warrant a pullback that allowed investors to digest their recent strides of gains.

Among heavyweights, IHH and MISC bagged 11 sen each to RM5.68 and RM8.51 respectively, Maxis added 10 sen to RM5.49, IOI Corporation advanced eight sen to RM4.73 and Axiata was five sen firmer at RM4.20.

The actives included Melewar which perked 3.5 sen to 34.5 sen, Sapura Energy and Avillion increased one sen each to 28.5 sen and 16.5 sen respectively, Hibiscus warrant garnered six sen to 26.5 sen and Ekovest was 1.5 sen better at 80 sen.

Top gainers Allianz-PA rose 66 sen to RM16.60, Carlsberg expanded 60 sen to RM30.28, Nestle went up 50 sen to RM147.50, Allianz climbed 40 sen to RM17.00 and F&N inched up 34 sen to RM34.70.

The FBM Emas Index strengthened  67.39 points to 11,480.05 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 92.42 points higher at 12,109.0.

The FBMT 100 Index elevated 67.52 points to 11,267.64, the FBM 70 jumped 107.25 points to 14,380.24 and the FBM Ace accumulated 24.28 points to 5,403.29.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged up 0.61 of-a-point to 155.84, the Financial Services Index improved 48.84 points to 15,669.30 and the Plantation Index advanced 58.51 points to 7,837.58. ― Bernama