KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia ended on a firmer note with strong buying support in selected heavyweights, led by plantation and banking stocks.

       At 5 pm, the benchmark FBM KLCI was 7.93 points higher at 1,604.72 compared with Tuesday’s close of 1,596.79.

       The key index opened 0.67 of-a-point easier at 1,596.12 and moved between 1,595.19 and 1,605.50 throughout the day.

       On the broader market, gainers thumped decliners 601 to 435, while 405 counters were unchanged, 795 untraded and 13 others suspended.

       Total turnover decreased to 3.43 billion units worth RM2.47bil from 3.87 billion units worth RM2.37bil on Tuesday.

       A dealer noted that Bursa Malaysia had remained upbeat for the rest of the day, bucking the downtrend among regional peers.

       Key Asian markets took their cue from the weaker Wall Street after the United States Federal Reserve reiterated its more aggressive approach in tightening its monetary policy to tame inflation amid the unresolved Russia-Ukraine conflict. — Bernama