KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI pared its gains from earlier in the day to enter the lunch break slightly higher than the previous closing price.
At 12.30pm, the bellwether index was up 1.35 points to 1,454.9 amid a positive market breadth of 390 gainers compared with 339 decliners.
Trading volume was 1.53 billion shares valued at RM847.86mil.
Malaysia's stock market was lifted by a strong rally in US markets last Friday, although investors are quick to cash in on gains as US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell is scheduled to provide an update on interest rates at a congressional testimony on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Asian markets remain positive as China's recent economic data brightened the prospects of the world's second largest economy, despite Beijing issuing a lower-than-expected projection of 5% economic growth.
Japan's Nikkei was up 1.25% to 28,275, South Korea's Kospi gained 1% to 2,457 and China's composite index was 0.2% lower at 3,320.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng meanwhile flat at 20,576 while Australia's ASX200 gained 0.6% to 7,327.
On Bursa Malaysia, stocks with buying interest included PETRONAS Dagangan climbing 38 sen to RM21.24, Kuala Lumpur Kepong rising 28 sen to RM21.28 and PETRONAS Gas gaining 14 sen to RM16.66.
Padini jumped 24 sen to RM3.84, Hextar Technologies rose 20 sen to RM25.76 and Harrisons added 20 sen to RM7.80.
Among top traded stocks, MYEG gained two sen to 75.5 sen, Vinvest fell 0.5 sen to 22.5 sen and Minda rose 2.5 sen to 11 sen.
