KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI maintained its lead at midday after a surge of buying interest in blue chips as US corporate results lent support and the government announced there will be no full lockdown measures due to an increase in Covid-19 cases.

       At 12.30pm, the key index was up 16.05 points to 1,546.14. The market breadth was positive with 503 gainers compared with 379 decliners.

       Financial counters rallied with CIMB jumping 15 sen to RM5.39, Maybank rising nine sen to RM8.44, Hong Leong Bank climbing 28 sen to RM19.98 and Public Bank gaining five sen to RM4.26.

       Other top gainers included Press Metal shooting up 15 sen to RM6.45 and Digi rising 13 sen to RM3.96.

       Glove counters meanwhile descended led by Hartalega falling 36 sen to RM5.21, Top Glove sliding 11 sen to RM2.18 and Kossan shedding nine sen to RM1.74.

       Among actives, VSolar rose 0.5 sen to 1.5 sen, MMAG was unchanged at 8.5 sen and AirAsia gained 1.5 sen to 67.5 sen.

       Asian markets meanwhile tracked Wall Street higher, with tech stocks especially rising on the back of strong corporate earnings.

       Japan's Nikkei rose 1.1%, South Korea's Kospi rose 0.9% and China's composite index added 0.4%.

       Hong Kong's Hang Seng meanwhile jumped 2% as China's tech stocks bounced with SoftBank rallying on news of plans to take Arm public.

       Australia's ASX200 rose 1%.