KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 ― Shares on Bursa Malaysia opened lower today in cautious trading and lack of buying interest, while tracking regional peers.   

At 9.10am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 5.13 points to 1,664.11, after opening 2.05 points weaker at 1,667.19.

Market breadth was slightly negative as losers led gainers 113 to 103, with 184 counters unchanged, 1,362 untraded and 29 others suspended.    

Turnover stood at 83.83 million shares worth RM43.43 million.

A dealer said the global equities market were weighed down by China's weak economic data and low oil prices.

Investors too remained concern over the crude oil supply glut, following the failure of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to reach an agreement to reduce production levels.

On the technical front, Maybank Kim Eng said support levels of 1,644 to 1,665 will be weaker, while heavy liquidation activities would cap rebounds at the resistances of 1,669 and 1,686.

“We expect the FBM KLCI to be softer, as its chart signals turned more negative yesterday,” it said in a note.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank and Axiata lost a sen each to RM8.40 and RM6.08 respectively, Tenaga slid four sen to RM13.42, Public Bank shed six sen to RM18.26, while Petronas Chemicals gained five sen to RM6.77.

Among actives, XOX and China Stationery added half-a-sen each to 20.5 sen and 14 sen respectively, Borneo Oil and Instacom  both shed half-a-sen sen to 14.5 sen and 30 sen, while Daya Materials was flat at ten sen.

On the scoreboards, the FBM Emas Index lost 23.21 points to 11,615.81, the FBMT100 Index declined 24.93 points to 11,293.62 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index went down 29.10 points to 12,520.29.

The FBM Ace declined 22.71 points to 6,441.35, but the FBM 70 gained 8.09 points to 12,988.88.

On a sectoral basis, the Finance Index was 16.59 points lower at 14,135.40, the Industrial Index fell 26.60 points to 3,233.60 and the Plantation Index shed 13.04 points for 7,444.27. ― Bernama