The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index gained 3.16 points to 913.92 and volume traded was 226.09 million shares, worth 548.49 million ringgit (145.30 million dollars) while gainers outnumbered losers 445 to 187.
The ringgit traded at 3.7748 to the US dollar and 4.5378 to the euro. "The key index was higher with gaming and plantation stocks taking the lead on some institutional buying," a local brokerage dealer said.
"Trading was quiet throughout the session on a lack of support from investors in view of the long stretch of public holidays ahead."
Among blue chips, power company Tenaga Nasional was flat at 10.00 ringgit despite a buy recommendation from Standard Poor's Equity Research and a target price of 11.50 ringgit a share.
Telekom Malaysia lost 0.10 to 9.75 on selling by foreign funds, while Malayan Banking was flat at 11.60.
Among gaming stocks, Genting rose 0.90 to 21.50, Resorts World gained 0.60 to 11.10 and Tanjong Plc rose 0.30 to 15.00.
Plantation company IOI Corp was up 0.30 at 13.40, following an earnings upgrade by some research firms, dealers said.
In other plantation stocks, IOI Oleochemical Industries gained 0.50 to 12.20, Kuala Lumpur Kepong was up 0.10 at 7.95, Golden Hope up 0.12 at 4.28, PPB Group was up 0.02 at 4.26 and PPB Oil Palms rose 0.16 to 5.10.
Southern Bank's biggest shareholder, Killinghall, was higher on persistent speculation of a take-over by Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Bhd, dealers said.
Killinghall gained 0.14 to 3.46 and Southern Bank rose 0.18 to 4.20.