KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — Share prices on Bursa Malaysia opened lower on lack of buying support amid the weaker ringgit, dealers said.

At 9.03am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 5.32 points easier at 1,818.18 after opening 4.48 points lower at 1,819.02. A dealer said the dollar fortify its position on a rebound basis against other major markets.

“Immediate support level for the index is at the 1,812 points level, while the immediate resistance would be at 1,871 points,” he added. 

On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index fell 27.96 points to 12,545.76, the FBMT100 Index decreased 28.44 points to 12,221.83 and FBM 70 erased 3.88 points to 13,624.38. The FBM Emas Syariah Index lost 47.73 points to 13,065.15 but the FBM Ace rose 26.37 points to 7,219.93.

On a sectoral basis, the Plantation Index advanced 0.44 of-a-point to 7,557.25 but the Finance Index trimmed 0.53 of-a-point to 16,136.67 and the Industrial Index decreased 39.13 points to 3,297.35.

Gainers outpaced losers 114 to 58 with 147 counters unchanged, 1,486 untraded and 19 others were suspended.

Turnover stood at 58.95 million shares worth RM28.09 million.

Among heavyweights, Maybank eased a sen to RM9.35, Axiata lost four sen to RM6.71 while TNB, Public Bank and Sime Darby were flat at RM14.30, RM19.24 and RM8.99, respectively.

For actively-traded stocks, Frontken and Iris Corp earned half-a-sen each to 32 sen and 29.5 sen, respectively.

Wintoni rose a sen to 35.5 sen, Zelan declined half-a-sen to 38.5 sen and Hubline was flat at two sen. — Bernama