KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 29): Bursa Malaysia's barometer index rebounded at midday, boosted by steady gains in the banking sector.

At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) improved by 2.01 points to 1,482.12 from Wednesday's closing of 1,480.11.

The market bellwether opened 3.84 points lower at 1,476.27 and fluctuated between 1,472.54 and 1,483.49 throughout the morning session.

Market breadth was mixed with 379 losers and 327 gainers, while 392 counters were unchanged, 1,170 untraded and 63 others suspended.

Turnover amounted to 1.36 billion units worth RM635.28 million.

A trader said the window-dressing mood was still ongoing these last two trading days of 2022, benefiting financial counters.

He said plantation counters were also in the limelight amid current higher crude palm oil prices, while healthcare stocks gained in view of the Covid-19 situation in China.

Overall, sentiment remained centred around the not-so-rosy overnight Wall Street performance.

Among the heavyweights, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd rose by 10 sen to RM5.75, Public Bank Bhd added five sen to RM4.35, RHB Bank Bhd firmed 11 sen to RM5.71, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd increased eight sen to RM4.65, and IHH Healthcare Bhd gained five sen to RM6.18.

Meanwhile, Digi.Com Bhd dipped seven sen to RM3.91, and Axiata Group Bhd dropped four sen to RM2.97.

Of the actives, Top Glove Corp Bhd stood at at 89.5 sen, followed by Borneo Oil Bhd at 2.5 sen and Eduspec Holdings Bhd at two sen, as all three counters were flat. Velesto Energy Bhd was half-a-sen lower at 15 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index bagged 6.02 points to 10,624.92, the FBMT 100 Index went up 6.69 points to 10,342.37, and the FBM ACE Index rose 35.5 points to 5,323.2, while the FBM Emas Shariah Index shaved 46.63 points to 10,803.75 and the FBM 70 Index slid 24.43 points to 12,986.8.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index lifted 140.48 points to 16.509.52, the Plantation Index inched up 5.09 points to 7,005.31, the Industrial Products and Services Index slipped 0.42 of-a-point to 180.48, and the Energy Index was 16.27 points lower at 767.34.