KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 22): Bursa Malaysia ended Monday's morning session mixed, with the barometer index slightly higher amid buying interest in selected heavyweights. 

At lunch break, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 2.15 points, or 0.14%, to 1,527.69. It moved between 1,522.71 and 1,529.26 throughout the morning session.

The index opened 1.22 points better at 1,526.76 compared with 1,525.54 at Friday’s close.

On the broader market, decliners led gainers 472 to 341, while 435 counters were unchanged, 1,074 untraded and 19 others suspended.

Total volume stood at 1.43 billion units worth RM978.05 million.

In a research note on Monday, Rakuten Trade said the benchmark index was expected to trend higher within the 1,525-1,536 range due to the just-concluded election in Melaka, which led to more clarity on the political front.

Among the heavyweights, Malayan Banking Bhd advanced six sen to RM8.14, IHH Healthcare Bhd strengthened eight sen to RM6.62 and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd jumped nine sen to RM5.19. Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd and Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd were flat at RM8.31 and RM5.60, respectively, while Public Bank Bhd and Tenaga Nasional Bhd both eased one sen to RM4.06 and RM9.54, respectively.  

Of the actives, Dagang NeXchange Bhd increased two sen to 84.5 sen, PDZ Holdings Bhd was flat at six sen, Metronic Holdings Bhd inched down half-a-sen to two sen, and Scope Industries Bhd fell one sen to 39 sen. 

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index gained 5.24 points to 11,250.88, the FBMT 100 Index climbed 7.55 points to 10,903.13, the FBM Emas Shariah Index shed 11.44 points to 12,216.31, the FBM ACE weakened 26.25 points to 6,788.81, and the FBM 70 was 20.38 points lower at 14,763.18. 

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index rose 67.68 points to 15,293.26, the Industrial Products and Services Index inched down 0.21 of-a-point to 199.58, and the Plantation Index bagged 62.51 points to 6,667.61.