KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI bounced higher as buying interest in CelcomDigi helped to offset the decline in what has been a soft week for the benchmark index.
Going into the midday break, the FBM KLCI was up 2.96 points to 1,587.9. The underlying market breadth was positive with 521 gainers compared to 390 decliners and 471 unchanged.
Share turnover was 2.43 billion changing hands for RM1.29bil.
CelcomDigi rose 20 sen to RM3.67 in what has been its strongest rebound since trending lower in March this year.
Other telcos were also improved, icluding Maxis gaining seven sen to RM3.52 and Axiata adding three sen to RM2.57.
Genting climbed five sen to RM4.72 and YTL Corp rose six sen to RM3.45.
On the broader market, MPI gained 48 sen to RM39.36, United Plantation rose 30 sen to RM24.50 and Dutch Lady
climbed 20 sen to RM35.70.
Of actives, Borneo Oil rose 0.5 sen to one sen, Ingenieur dropped 0.5 sen to 5.5 sen and Trive added 0.5 sen to 6.5 sen.
In regional markets, key stock indices rallied on hopes the US inflation report to be released tonight will affirm that inflation in the world's largest economy was easing.
Japan's Nikkei rose 0.77% to 39,642, China's composite index jumped 0.98% to 2,974 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.56% to 17,815.
Singapore's Straits Times index slipped 0.24% to 3,335.
