KUALA LUMPUR (April 21): The FBM KLCI rose 0.43% at mid-morning today in line with the advance at the regional markets.

At 10.09am, the FBM KLCI rose 7.34 points to 1,716.25.

The top gainers included Nestle (M) Bhd, Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd, British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Bhd, Petronas Gas Bhd, Hong Leong Industries Bhd, Genting Plantations Bhd, UMW Holdings Bhd, BIMB Holdings Bhd and Tenaga Nasional Bhd.

The top actives included Bumi Armada Bhd, AirAsia X Bhd, JAG Bhd, APT Bhd, Perisai Petroleum Teknologi Bhd, Spring Gallery Bhd and Ikhmas Jaya Group Bhd.

The decliners included Atlan Bhd, YNH Property Bhd, Latitude Tree Holdings Bhd, Can-One Bhd, Teck Guan Perdana Bhd, Inari Amertron Bhd and Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd.

Asian shares hovered close to 5½-month highs on Thursday as oil prices showed surprising resilience partly on hopes that oil producers may eventually agree on a measure to ease a global glut, according to Reuters.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.3% while Japan's Nikkei gained 2%, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research said depending on the Shanghai Composite Index's performance and ahead of the ECB decision, it expects investors to remain cautious today.

"Moreover, ahead of the announcement of (Bank Negara governor) Tan Sri Zeti Ahktar Aziz's replacement and its fragile technical indications, the FBM KLCI may continue to trade sideways," it said.