KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 ― The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) opened lower this morning and in line with the weaker overnight performance of Wall Street and most regional markets.    

At 9.15am, the index eased 2.94 points to 1,670.98 after opening 3.12 points weaker at 1,670.8.

A dealer said the market reacted negatively to the European Central Bank's  minimal rate cut and extended stimulus exercise.             

Wall Street's benchmark S&P500 weakened 1.44 per cent to 2,049.62.   

Regionally, the Shanghai Composite Index jumped 1.35 per cent to 3,584.82 while Japan's Nikkei 225 lost 1.78 per cent to 19,584.01, Hong Kong's Hang Seng depreciated 0.28 per cent to 22,417.01 and Singapore's Straits Times declined 0.74 per cent to 2,862.57.              

Of the heavyweights, Maybank gained two sen to RM8.38, IHH Healthcare was flat at RM6.41, Hong Leong lost 30 sen to RM12.68, Axiata was down five sen to RM6.05, MISC depreciated nine sen to RM9.21 and Telekom was seven sen easier to RM6.50.              

Among actives, Fajarbaru rose 3.5 sen to 57 sen. Wintoni was flat at five sen, as Instacom and Genetec both edged downward half-a-sen to 28 sen and 30 sen respectively.              

In terms of market breadth, the decliners-to-gainers ratio was at 165 to 107, with 174 counters unchanged, 1,324 untraded and 15 others suspended.          

Turnover stood at 139.48 million shares worth RM45.26 million.

On the scoreboards, the FBM Emas Index trimmed 14.87 points to 11,617.96, the FBMT100 Index shed 15.42 points to 11,301.92 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index reduced 16.43 points to 12,511.97.

The FBM 70 edged down 0.92 of-a-point to 12,857.41 and the FBM Ace slid 17.2 points to 6,423.16.

On a sectoral basis, the Finance Index eased 24.6 points to 14,095.08, the Industrial Index fell 7.08 points to 3,285.77 and the Plantation Index shrank 5.32 points for 7,467.21. ― Bernama