Bursa Malaysia closed marginally higher on Monday, in tandem with the positive performance of regional peers, said an analyst. NSTP/HAIRUL ANUAR RAHIM At 5 pm, the FBM KLCI added 1.90 points to end at 1,610.95, compared with last Friday’s close. The benchmark index opened 0.70 of a point higher at 1,609.75, and moved between 1,606.76 and 1,613.53 throughout the day. The market breadth was, however, negative with decliners outnumbering gainers 645 to 459, while 487 counters were unchanged, 1,057 untraded, and 124 suspended. Turnover narrowed to 3.77 billion units worth RM2.47 billion, from 4.16 billion units worth RM3.17 billion on Friday. Rakuten Trade vice-president Thong Pak Leng noted that key regional indices ended higher with strong buying seen in electric vehicle (EV) and technology stocks. On the local front, he said the market had been showing healthier signs of participation, suggesting sentiment is slowly turning more upbeat. Despite remaining in consolidation mode, the benchmark index appears to be building strength, underpinned by improving confidence. “If this momentum continues, it could pave the way for an advance toward 1,620 points, reinforcing the cautiously optimistic outlook. Hence, we anticipate the FBM KLCI to trend within the range of 1,590-1,620 for the week,” Thong told Bernama. Among the heavyweight stocks, CIMB bounced 12 sen to RM7.37, Axiata rallied seven sen to RM2.67, and MRDIY rose five sen to RM1.67. CelcomDigi gained four sen to RM3.70, and IHH Healthcare added 10 sen to RM7.55. In active trade, EA Holdings, MTouche, and NexG were flat at half a sen, 6.5 sen, and 9.5 sen, respectively. Pharmaniaga added two sen to 28.5 sen, Tanco dropped two sen to 88 sen, and Velesto shaved half a sen to 24 sen. CBH Engineering gained three sen to 47 sen.