KUALA LUMPUR: At market close, the FBM KLCI put on 7.34 points to 1,779,10 points, lifted by Tenaga Nasional and Hong Leong Bank.
The energy major gained 30 sen to RM15.42 while Hong Leong Bank rose 30 sen to RM17, giving the index a combined lift of 4.179 points.
Turnover was 2.64 billion shares with a value of RM2.1bil. Market breadth was negative with 431 decliners to 402 gainers and 470 counters unchanged.
The rally in the local market came in tandem with advances in Asian equity markets, which have hit a one-month high.
Other gainers on the KLCI included Press Metal
Aluminium, which added 13 sen to RM5.37.
Apart from Hong Leong, other banking stocks that advanced included Public Bank, gaining 12 sen to RM20.82, CIMB adding four sen to RM6.54, Maybank rising one sen to RM9.56 and Ambank putting on two sen to RM4.37. RHB weighed, losing five sen to RM4.95.
In oil-related counters, Petronas Gas gained 10 sen to RM9.25, Petronas Dagangan added two sen to RM24.30 while Petronas CHemicals was unchanged at RM7.80.
Leading decliners on the index included MISC, which dropped 10 sen to RM7.29; KL Kepong, which fell 32 sen to RM24.66; and Genting Malaysia, which slipped five sen to RM5.58.
On the wider market, Hengyuan finished the day's trade RM1.46 higher at RM17.96 while Petron Malaysia rose 74 sen to RM14.60. Pharmaniaga was another notable gainer, putting on 50 sen to RM4.65.
Among laggards, Genting Plantations slipped 12 sen to RM10.44, Chintek dropped 11 sen to RM7.60 and SPB dropped 20 sen to RM4.82.
In regional markets, Shanghai's Composite index closed up 0.65% at 3,297.2059 points while its blue-chip CSI300 index ended up 0.7% at 4,018.9 points.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose for a fourth consecutive session amid bullish reiognal sentiment. At It ended 0.9% higher at 29,863.71 points.
Japan's Nikkei share average erased its earlier gains on Thursday as the yen gained and banking shares extended their losses, finishing 0.6% lower at 22,783.98 points.
In Taiwan, the Taiex closed 0.77% higher at 10,567.64 points while Singapore's Straits Times Inex moved 0.22% higher to 3,399.10 points.
In commodities, oil prices rose on strong data by China ahead of the new year. US light crude rose 18 cents to US$59.82 a barrel while Brent crude gained 23 cents US$66.67 a barrel.
The ringgit saw gains against the greenback, rising 0.42% to 4.0667 as the US dollar dipped on falling Treasury yields.
Meanwhile, it was flat against the pound sterling at 5.4706 and rose 0.16% against the Singapore dollar at 3.0399.
Limited time offer:
Just RM5 per month.
