KL shares end higher on buying support

Share prices on Bursa Malaysia ended firmer today, bolstered by buying support and interests in selected heavyweights, led by DiGi, Maybank and UEM Land, dealers said.

They said the market remained in positive territory throughout the day, tracking the favourable Wall Street overnight performance and the rebound on regional markets.

The key US equity indices rose between 0.3 per cent and 0.5 per cent at the closing bell amid optimism the Federal Reserve would continue to provide monetary stimulus.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose by 6.1 points to end at 1,642.08.

The benchmark index, which opened at 1,637.81, hovered between 1,637.81 and 1,643.42 throughout the day.

Advancers led decliners by 432 to 230, with 312 counters unchanged, 669 untraded and 19 others suspended.

Total volume rose to 966.731 million shares valued at RM1.797 billion from 802.549 million shares valued at RM1.696 billion yesterday.

Among Asian equities, China's Shanghai Composite rose 52.90 points to 2,326.31, Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 22.69 points to 22,560.50 and Singapore's Straits Times Index improved 8.31 points to 3,248.26.

Indonesia's Jakarta Composite, however, fell 9.76 points to 4,751.70.

The Finance Index climbed 29.841 points to 15,179.69, Plantation Index firmed 12.61 points to 7,863.12 and the Industrial Index rose 1.02 points to 2,803.31.

The FBM Emas Index rose 44.601 points to 11,190.28, FBMT100 advanced 41.939 points to 11,043.06 and the FBM Mid 70 Index surged 51.069 points to 12,301.06.

The FBM Ace Index was 2.46 points lower at 3,953.76.

Among heavyweights, Sime Darby was unchanged at RM9.19, CIMB Group eased one sen to RM7.19 and Axiata Groupc climbed one sen to RM6.39.

DiGi garnered 11 sen to RM4.68, Maybank added five sen to RM9.10 and UEM Land Holdings appreciated nine sen to RM2.59.

Of the top gainers, British American Tobacco rose 68 sen to RM60.18, Dutch Lady Milk Industry added 42 sen to RM46.10 and BLD Plantation gained 29 sen to RM8.79.

In actives, Patimas Computers fell half sen to five sen, China Automobile rose eight sen to 44 sen and Compugates Holdings was flat at nine sen.

Volume on the Main Market increased to 791.36 million shares valued at RM1.78 billion from 691.52 million shares valued at RM1.68 billion yesterday.

Turnover on the ACE market soared to 134.69 million units worth RM15.26 million from 89.69 million units worth RM9.20 million on Monday.

Warrants firmed to 40.301 million units valued at RM4.14 million from 20.78 million units valued at RM2.086 million previously.

Consumer products accounted for 22.981 million shares on the Main Market, industrial products 176.620 million, construction 47.649 million, trade and services 239.983 million, technology 111.154 million, infrastructure 22.017 million, finance 70.893 million, hotels 328,100, properties 84.023 million, plantations 9.450 million, mining 20,000, REITs 5.835 million and closed/fund
13,000.-- Bernama