KUALA LUMPUR: Buying interest in the financial services, plantation and healthcare sectors lifted Bursa Malaysia at midday.
At 12.30pm, FTSE Bursa Malaysia (FBM) KLCI was up 0.3 per cent or 4.87 points to 1,617.81 versus Thursday's close of 1,612.94.
The key index opened at 1,622.20 and hit the highest level of 1,624.71 in the morning trading session.
The broader market was also positive with gainers leading decliners 653 to 281 while 453 counters were unchanged.
FBM100 added 0.45 per cent to 11,941.71, FBM Ace was up 1.36 per cent to 5,384.43 and FBM Emas rose 0.5 per cent to 12,300.67.
Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd was the top gainer, adding RM1.24 to RM31.84.
On the losing end, Nestle (M) Bhd lost 40 sen to RM105.70 and Heineken Malaysia Bhd shed 26 sen to RM23.36.