KUALA LUMPUR (April 18): The FBM KLCI is expected to trade range bound today and stay above the 1,880-level following the firmer overnight close at most global markets.

U.S. and European shares climbed on Tuesday on quarterly earnings and a renewed appetite for risk, while the dollar rose off a two-week low and 2-year Treasury yields touched a decade high after economic data supported expectations of further rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, according to Reuters.

Robust earnings from Netflix, Goldman Sachs and healthcare companies drove gains on Wall Street and boosted optimism about what is expected to be the strongest earnings season in seven years, it said.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 213.59 points, or 0.87 percent, to 24,786.63, the S&P 500 gained 28.55 points, or 1.07 percent, to 2,706.39, and the Nasdaq Composite added 124.81 points, or 1.74 percent, to 7,281.10, said Reuters.

Based on corporate announcements and news flow yesterday, stocks in focus today may include: Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Bhd, Inta Bina Group Bhd, Zelan Bhd, BSL Corp Bhd, SHH Resources Holdings Bhd, Bumi Armada Bhd and Globaltec Formation Bhd.