KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 13 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session higher as buying support returned after the extended Chinese New Year break, led by the construction, property, and utility sectors.

At 12.30 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) gained 14.97 points to 1,527.25 from Friday's close of 1,512.28.

The barometer index opened 0.35 of a point higher at 1,512.63 -- the lowest level during the session -- and hit as high as 1,527.59. 

Market breadth was positive with gainers outpacing decliners 499 to 317 while 363 counters were unchanged, 1,108 untraded and 11 others suspended.

In a note, Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said the buying support was due to trading catalysts such as the potential revival of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail mega project and data centre investment in this region over the near term.

“Also, the market will be focusing on earnings where consumer (stocks) may provide an upside in earnings potential amid cost normalisation, while the energy sector may be lifted by healthy Brent oil prices,” it said.

Among the heavyweights, Maybank gained 12 sen to RM9.38, Public Bank improved three sen to RM4.38, CIMB added 10 sen to RM6.29, and Tenaga Nasional rose 20 sen to RM10.98.

As for the actives, YNH Property added 6.5 sen to 68 sen, Widad and Reneuco edged up half-a-sen each to 12.5 sen and six sen, respectively, and YTL Power lost three sen to RM4.02.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index jumped 102.99 points to 11,348.01, and the FBMT 100 Index swelled 100.36 points to 11,004.87. 

 The FBM ACE Index declined 23.20 points to 4,799.01, the FBM Emas Shariah Index improved 108.0 points to 11,394.18, and the FBM 70 Index advanced 108.86 points to 15,319.19. 

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index went up 69.39 points to 7,261.55, while the Financial Services Index climbed 175.65 points to 17,056.62.   

The Industrial Products and Services Index increased 1.73 points to 174.42, the Property Index added 9.35 points to 921.70, and the Energy Index rose 2.28 points to 890.24. 

-- BERNAMA