BURSA Malaysia ended the day in positive territory, with the key index advancing by 1.18%, lifted by bargain hunting in glove stocks.
At 5 pm, the benchmark FBM KLCI jumped 18.58 points to 1,588.45 from 1,569.87 at Tuesday’s closing.
The key index opened 4.89 points higher at 1,572.03 and moved between 1,568.65 and 1,588.45 throughout the day.
Market breadth was positive with gainers outpacing losers 631 to 559, while 416 counters were unchanged, 547 untraded and nine others suspended.
Total volume fell to 10.78 billion units worth RM6.18 bil from Tuesday’s 12.89 billion units worth RM6.42 bil.
A dealer said investors are looking forward to Bank Negara Malaysia’s Monetary Policy Meeting tomorrow to gauge further direction for the local bourse.
However, she said the market has already anticipated that the central bank would maintain the overnight policy rate (OPR) at the current 1.75%.
Among the heavyweights, glove producers Top Glove Corporation Bhd strengthened 34 sen to RM5.09, Hartalega Holdings Bhd surged 44 sen to RM9.85, and Supermax Corporation Bhd jumped 55 sen to RM4.66.
Additionally, Malayan Banking Bhd rose six sen to RM8.14, Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd widened 21 sen to RM7.74, Tenaga Nasional Bhd expanded by 10 sen to RM10.46, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd added one sen to RM4.29, while Public Bank Bhd and IHH Healthcare were flat at RM4.22 and RM5.50, respectively, and Sime Darby Plantation Bhd eased one sen to RM4.93.
Of the actives, Parkson Holdings Bhd and Borneo Oil Bhd edged up half-a-sen each to 19.5 sen and four sen, respectively, Sealink International Bhd rose 2.5 sen to 20.5 sen, Kanger International Bhd was flat at 10.5 sen, while XOX Bhd, EA Holdings Bhd and Dagang Nexchange Bhd inched down half-a-sen to eight sen, 3.5 sen and 61.5 sen, respectively. – March 3, 2021