KUALA LUMPUR: The positive momentum on the domestic market continued over the early Monday session, underpinned by strong buying interest in select heavyweights.
Entering the lunch break, the FBM KLCI was up 6.54 points to 1,581.7, marking yet another high point for the index as the rally continued to pick up speed.
Investors continued to pile onto YTL Power, which surged 39 sen to RM4.81. Over the last two session alone, the share has put on 17% amid rising expectations over the company's prospects.
Shares in holding company YTL Corp were also on the climb, adding 17 sen to RM3.20.
Other blue chips being bought up included Kuala Lumpur Kepong rising 12 sen to RM23.12, Hong Leong Bank adding 14 sen to RM19.40 and Axiata rising six sen to RM2.81.
Sentiment on the local bourse has been on the rise amid a return of foreign funds as global investors turned bullish amid the ongoing US corporate earnings period.
The overall spread on Bursa Malaysia was positive with 555 gainers compared to 413 decliners, and 463 unchanged. The share turnover was 2.78 billion valued at RM1.7bil.
Of actives, MYEG slipped 0.5 sen to 91 sen on the back of 153 million shares traded. TWL was flat at three sen with 92.86 million shares changing hands and Capital A rose 5.5 sen to 78.5 sen with 52.88 million shares done.
Meanwhile, regional markets were similarly optimistic although Japan's stock exchange remained shuttered for a national holiday.
China's composite index rose 0.8% to 3,113 while the blue-chip CSI300 index gained 1.4% to 3,634. Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed 1.3% to 17,878.
Singapore's Straits Times Index slipped 0.2% to 3,272.
