KUALA LUMPUR (March 24): Hong Leong Bank Bhd (HLB) and other banking counters led the gainers among the FBM KLCI component stocks, as the benchmark index staged a rebound today.

At 3.53pm, HLB gained RM2.04 or 16.1% to RM14.74, with some 1.11 million shares crossed. Public Bank Bhd was the second top gainer by percentage, up by RM1.50 or 10.8% at RM15.40.

RHB Bank Bhd and Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd (HLFG) were also among the top five gainers by percentage, gaining 5.9% and 5.6% respectively.

Meanwhile, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd saw a relatively smaller increase, as the counter rose 5.2% to RM3.46, while Malayan Banking Bhd and AMMB Holdings Bhd rose 2.7% and 1.4% respectively to RM7.31 and RM2.94.

The Bursa Malaysia Finance Index was the second biggest gainer among the sectoral indices, gaining 5.8% to 12,017.6 points at the time of writing, after the top gainer, the Bursa Malaysia Energy Index, which rose 6.9%.

Banking stocks aside, most of the component stocks charted gains today, with the exception of four counters, namely Petronas Gas Bhd, IOI Corp Bhd, Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd and Sime Darby Plantation Bhd.

Year to date, however, the Finance Index has fallen 21.9% as the sector was buffeted by headwinds, including the plunge in crude oil prices and dampened sentiment amid the Covid-19 outbreak.