Bursa Malaysia's trading opened higher following concerns over the national security rate caused by the Covid-19 rate of change which continued to rise to five figures for two consecutive days.
At 9.05am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose 1.21 points to 1,513.53 from 1,512.32 at the end of Wednesday.
According to a Bernama report, the index traded 0.25 better at 1,512.57.
In the market as a whole, gainers increased losers by 172 to 135, 238 counters unchanged, 1,683 untraded and 18 others suspended.
Total trade surged to 283.08 million units worth RM105.51 million.
According to Malacca Secuities, the sharp increase in daily cases of Covid-19 has cast a shadow over the problem of increasing vaccination rates in the country.
Revealing to the brokerage firm’s notes, they remain that the people’s exchange will continue to trade in consolidation mode until Malaysia can apply to Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan.
"Meanwhile, the market is likely to monitor the Chinese economic data network that will be published today," he said
Assessing to commodities, the price of crude palm oil (CPO) rose above RM4,000 per tonne in line with soybean futures, crude oil prices declined.
The firm's brokers also issued expectations that buying interest in the technology index is likely to continue in the near future and that strengthening CPO prices will bode well for some plantation counters.
It also expects the health sector to see short-term trading as the daily Covid-19 cases in the country still show no signs of declining.
In the country, heavyweights, Maybank and TNB added two sen each to RM8.07 and RM9.64 respectively, IHH Healthcare increased four sen to RM5.68.
Public Bank, Petronas Chemicals and CIMB were unchanged at RM4.07, RM8.03 and RM4.53 respectively.
Of the active stocks, Yenher Holdings rose one sen to 96 sen, Sapura Energy and Lambo Group consumers were flat at 12 sen and one sen respectively and Serba Dinamik added 1.5 sen to 42.5 sen.
On the index board, the FBM Emas Index jumped 11.68 points to 11,040.18, the FBMT 100 Index rose 11.78 points to 10,756.38 and the FBM Emas Index strengthened 4.88 points to 12,080.95.
FBM ACE increased 1.26 points to 7,106.41 and FBM 70 increased 28.08 points to 14,386.66.
By sector, the Financial Services Index rose 27.94 points to 14,912.04 and the Industrial Products and Services Index was unchanged at 186.83, the Plantation index declined 20.67 points to 6,196.66.
