Gains in most heavyweights, such as Petronas Chemicals, Genting Malaysia and Tenaga Nasional, contributed significantly to the rise, accounting for 8.68 points.

The FBM KLCI rose by 10.31 points to close at 1,450.25. It hit an intra-day low of 1,444.42.

The Finance Index advanced 59.43 points to 13,139.3 and Industrial Index, rose 17.79 points to 2,655.54.

The Plantation Index, however, shed 0.38 point to 7,322.8.

The FBM Emas surged 90.279 points to 9,877.64, the FBM70 improved 138.57 points to 10,602.11, the FBMT100 increased 81.18 points to 9,700.26 and the FBM ACE gained 98.51 points to 4,013.86.

Gainers led losers by 641 to 162, while 210 counters were unchanged, 449 untraded and 21 others were suspended.

Total market volume rose to 1.69 billion shares valued at RM1.21 billion from 1.36 billion shares valued at RM1.37 billion on Tuesday.

Volume on the Main Market improved to 1.26 billion shares valued at RM1.16 billion from 1.03 billion shares valued at RM1.33 billion on Tuesday.

Turnover on the ACE Market rose to 284.63 million units worth RM41.20 million from 210.37 million units worth RM29.408 million on Tuesday.

Of the top gainers, Hong Leong Financial Group gained 30 sen to RM11.58, Malayan Flour Mills improved 28 sen to RM7.64 and Dutch Lady Milk Industries was up 24 sen to RM19.14.

Among actives, JCY International rose 12.5 sen to 58 sen, Systech added 2.5 sen to 13 sen and Harvest Court-WA increased 9 sen to 19 sen.

As for heavyweights, Maybank added 3 sen to RM8.24, CIMB was up 4 sen to RM7.23, while Sime Darby was unchanged at RM8.65.

Petronas Chemical gained 16 sen each to RM6.12, Genting Malaysia advanced 19 sen to RM3.69 and Tenaga increased 20 sen to RM5.55.

Meanwhile, FBM KLCI futures contracts on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives also closed firmer yesterday.

October 2011, November 2011 and March 2012 rose 16.5 points each to 1,446.50, 1,439.5 and 1,430 respectively and December 2011 gained 18 points to 1,436.

Turnover stood at 6,565 lots, while open interest stood at 25,452 contracts. – Bernama