KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 27): The FBM KLCI rose 0.52% at mid-morning today, tracking gains at most regional markets.

At 10am, the FBM KLCI rose 9.64 points to 1,869.72. The index had earlier risen to a high of 1,872.35.

Gainers led losers by 311 to 305, while 356 counters traded unchanged.

Volume was 896.02 million shares valued at RM409.14 million.

The gainers included Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd, Hong Leong Bank Bhd, Ajinomoto (M) Bhd, Nestle (M) Bhd, Muda Holdings Bhd, Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd, KESM Industries Bhd, Petronas Dagangan Bhd, Petronas Gas Bhd and Scientex Bhd.

The actives included NetX Holdings Bhd, Karambunai Corp Bhd, Borneo Oil Bhd, Green Packet Bhd, DGB Asia Bhd, Sino Hua-An International Bhd and Vivocom Intl Holdings Bhd.

The losers included Pos Malaysia Bhd, Latitude Tree Holdings Bhd, Tong Herr Resources Bhd, Padini Holdings Bhd, UMS-Neiken Group Bhd, Magni-Tech Industries Bhd and UMW Holdings Bhd.

Asian shares extended their recovery on Tuesday, hitting a three-week high as US borrowing costs eased ahead of Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell's highly-anticipated first congressional testimony later in the day, according to Reuters.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.3%, building on its bounce from a two-month low touched on Feb 9, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research in a traders' brief said in the US, the recent rebound could sustain and retest the next psychological level near the 26,000 level on the back of easing worries on inflation risk.

"Despite the cautious tone amid the ongoing reporting season, we think the positive performance from Wall Street could spill over towards Malaysia's equities and trading activities could turn positive on KLCI.

"Also, traders could focus on selected O&G stocks amid firmer crude oil," it said.