At 9.05am the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was up 1.39 points at 1,517.15 from Wednesday's close of 1,515.76.
The index opened 0.72 points at 1,516.48.
It opened on positive territory as a result of continued bargain hunting activity despite Wall Street's weak overnight performance.
On the broader market, investors saw losers outpacing gainers by 130 to 116, while 185 counters were unchanged, 1,829 untraded and 31 suspended.
Total turnover at 144.36 million units worth RM83.64 million.
A note issued by Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd stated that profit -taking activity was expected to emerge on the local bourse following a downward trend on Wall Street after the Federal Reserve (Fed) confirmed a rate hike and a bond -buying reduction program (tapering).
He added that the Chinese New Year Maximum Price Control Scheme will affect the poultry and consumer -related sectors.
Investors' expectations are likely to focus on commodity -related sectors such as plantations and energy stocks due to strong crude palm oil and crude oil prices.
Heavyweights saw Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd remain at RM8.30 and RM5.26, Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd (Petchem) added 6 sen to RM8.98 and IHH Healthcare Bhd rose 4 sen to RM6.40 while Public Bank Bhd fell 1 sen to RM4.19.
Active stocks saw Dataprep Holdings Bhd rise 8 sen at 64.5 sen, Pertama Digital Bhd added 0.5 sen at 66 sen and Dagang NeXchange Bhd (DNeX) gained 1 sen at 95.5 sen.
On the index board, FBM ACE bloomed 1.35 points at 6,085.36, FBM 70 drove 10.24 points at 13,443.51, FBM Emas added 10.18 points at 10,898.30, FBMT 100 was strong 9.35 points at 10,606.18 and FBM Emas Shariah reached 17.85 points at 11,588.05.
The Financial Services Index jumped 2.98 points at 15,749.87, the Products and Services Industry index reached 0.36 points at 200.65 and the Plantation index bloomed 3.31 points at 6,601.29.
