KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 14): The FBM KLCI ticked up marginally at mid-morning Tuesday, tracking gains at regional markets.

Meanwhile, technology-linked stocks on Bursa Malaysia were actively traded this morning, with the US and China preparing to formalise a trade-war truce on Jan 15.

At 10.05am, the FBM KLCI added 1.6 points to 1,586.33.

Gainers led losers by 271 to 123, while 330 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 713.24 million shares valued at RM336.03 million.

The gainers included Allianz Malaysia Bhd, Dufu Technology Corp Bhd, Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd, Heineken Malaysia Bhd, Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Bhd, KESM Industries Bhd, Public Bank Bhd, Genting Plantations Bhd and Sarawak Consolidated Industries Bhd.

The actives included Vortex Consolidated Bhd, Yong Tai Bhd, My EG Services Bhd, JCY International Bhd, TDM Bhd, Sapura Energy Bhd, Dynaciate Group Bhd and Visdynamics Holdings Bhd.

The decliners included Rapid Synergy Bhd, Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Keluarga Bhd, United Plantations Bhd, Power Root Bhd, ViTrox Corp Bhd, Magni-Tech Industries Bhd, Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd and RHB Bank Bhd.

Reuters said Asian share markets rose on Tuesday and safe-haven assets slid as signs of goodwill between China and the United States supported optimism for global growth, with the world's two biggest economies preparing to formalise a trade-war truce.

The US Treasury Department on Monday said China should no longer be designated a currency manipulator — a label it applied as the yuan slid in August. China, meanwhile, has allowed the tightly managed currency to climb to its highest point since July, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research said in the US, the Dow's uptrend is fairly intact amid fading US-Iran geopolitical tensions and the impending US-China Phase 1 trade deal, coupled with the news that the US will remove China from a list of currency manipulating countries.

"Barring any negative surprises in the start of January reporting season (for 4Q19 results) this week, the Dow should trend on a positive bias mode towards 29,500-30,000 territory, with support set around 28,300-28,500 zones.

"Although overnight positive Wall Street would provide a boost to Bursa Malaysia today, cautious sentiment on the local bourse is likely to prevail ahead of the long CNY holidays next week and expectation of another unexciting February reporting season.

"Overall, in wake of external and internal headwinds, we still expect KLCI to [be] trap[ped] in range bound pattern, with key resistances at 1,600-1,615 whilst supports fall on 1,564-1,574 levels," it said.