KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 ― The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI opened sharply lower today as the local market took cue from the weaker overnight performance of Wall Street.  

At 9.12am, the benchmark index stood at 1,819.44 points, down 10.29 points, after opening 6.82 points lower at 1,822.92 points.

The US stocks sank overnight with the Dow Jones Industrial Average easing  1.97 per cent, erasing the gains of the previous day as investors bypassed US corporate earnings and economic reports to focus on global concerns, including Europe's softening economy.      

“Following the plunge in US markets, we expect the FBM KLCI to follow suit with support seen at 1,800 points,” said JF Apex Securities in a note today. 

Market breadth was negative with decliners trouncing advancers 534 to 42 with 104 counters unchanged, 912 counters untraded and 12 others were suspended.

Turnover stood at 234.33 million shares worth RM125.17 million.              

On the scoreboard, the Plantation Index decreased 76.06 points to 8,180.31, the Finance Index fell 6.18 points to 16,997.51 points and the Industrial Index trimmed 12.32 points to 3,139.92 points.

The FBM Ace shaved off 163.63 points to 6,638.16 points, the FBM Emas Shariah gave up 109.86 points to 12,877.89 points and the FBM Emas Index depreciated 89.12 points to 12,611.32 points.

The FBMT100 Index was 75.70 points lower at 12,254.75 and the FBM 70 erased 109.22 points to 13,754.92 points.

Heavyweights, TNB was flat at RM12.54, Maybank eased two sen to RM9.83, Public Bank depreciated six sen to RM18.60, Axiata was four sen lower at RM7 and CIMB lost 11 sen to RM6.87.

Among actives, MBSB rose 22 sen to RM2.59, Talam Transform was flat at 10.5 sen, Censof declined three sen to 63.5 sen and Sumatec fell 1.5 sen to 36.5 sen. ― Bernama