KUALA LUMPUR: Fund buying of Public Bank and Hong Leong Bank underpinned the FBM KLCI’s advance in early Monday trade, taking its cue from the firmer key Asian markets.

At 9.20am, the KLCI was up 8.3 points or 0.51% to 1,638.47. Turnover was 331.09 million shares valued at RM108.74mil. There were 249 gainers, 104 losers and 246 counters unchanged.

Asian shares started on a firm footing and the US dollar eased as risk appetite was whetted by better-than-expected data from China that helped boost confidence about the health of the world economy, Reuters reported.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan climbed 0.1% with South Korea's KOSPI up 0.5%.

 Australian shares were slightly weaker. Japan's Nikkei jumped 1.3% to the highest since early December.

At Bursa, Hong Leong Bank added 20 sen to RM20.24 and Public Bank 16 sen to RM22.76.

Nestle rose 60 sen to RM147 with 100 shares done while F&N gained 24 sen to RM33.64. KL Kepong rose 22 sen to RM25.12, United Plantations 20 sen to RM27.80 and PPB Group 12 sen to RM19.

Petronas Chemicals added 12 sen to RM8.96 but Petronas Dagangan lost 14 sen to RM24.88 and Petronas Gas 12 sen lower at RM17.56.