KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 4): Bursa Malaysia remained higher at midday on Thursday, buoyed by continuous bargain-hunting activities led by utilities, construction, and banking counters. 

At 12.30pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 0.54% or 7.99 points to 1,470.36 from Wednesday’s close of 1,462.37.

The benchmark index opened 0.48 of a point higher at 1,462.85 and moved between 1,461.03 and 1,470.36 throughout the morning session.

On the broader market, gainers beat losers 543 to 407, while 419 counters were unchanged, 851 untraded and 16 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 3.76 billion units worth RM1.91 billion.

Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said stronger trading seen in the utilities sector may be due to potential water tariff revision and the high usage of upcoming data centre boom.

The brokerage firm said that the Johor-theme, potential revival of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail, ongoing Rail Transit System link, and the easing of Malaysia My Second Home requirements may have helped to boost the construction sector and uplifted the local bourse on Thursday.

Meanwhile, on Bursa Malaysia, heavyweights YTL Power International Bhd advanced 19 sen to RM2.99, Tenaga Nasional Bhd rose 24 sen to RM10.30, while Maybank Bhd and Axiata Group Bhd both ticked up eight sen to RM8.97 and RM2.46 respectively.

CIMB Group Hioldings Bhd and YTL Corp Bhd gained five sen each to RM5.95 and RM2.06 respectively, and Hong Leong Bank Bhd added 16 sen to RM18.66. 

Of the actives, Hong Seng Consolidated Bhd was flat at three sen, Minetech Resources Bhd rose 1.5 sen to 19 sen, while Ekovest Bhd increased two sen to 56 sen, Asdion Bhd climbed 2.5 sen to 13 sen, and Sealink International Bhd added 4.5 sen to 21.5 sen. 

On the index board, the FBM ACE Index gained 7.84 points to 5,375.34, the FBM Emas Index increased 61.04 points to 10,963.97 and the FBMT 100 Index garnered 56.72 points to 10,612.73.

The FBM 70 Index jumped 75.27 points to 14,846.45 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index climbed 40.96 points to 11,122.86.

Sector-wise, the Property Index perked up 18.94 points to 916.85, and the Energy Index put on 7.56 points to 828.4, but the Industrial Products and Services Index eased 0.09 of a point to 176.35.

The Financial Services Index advanced 99.32 points to 16,409.87 while the Plantation Index dropped 9.16 points to 7,003.48.