KUALA LUMPUR, March 21 — The bellwether FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) started off the week mixed on mild profit-taking in selected heavyweights after ending higher last week, dealers said.

At 9.20 am, the index was 2.90 points lower at 1,713.44 from Friday's close of 1,716.34.    

It had opened 1.98 points weaker 1,714.36.  

AlliancaDBS Research in a research note today said following the higher close last Friday, the weekly FBM KLCI is likely to move higher with an immediate hurdle at 1,730 points.

"A crossover of 1,730 should see a test of next resistance at 1,745. The support is pegged at 1,700. A fall below 1,700 would put pressure on the index down to the subsequent support at 1,685," it added.

Meanwhile, on Bursa Malaysia, market breadth was positive with gainers trouncing decliners 219 to 145 with 213 counters unchanged, 1,159 untraded and 11 others suspended.   

Turnover stood at 189.27 million shares worth RM98.17 million.       

Among heavyweights, Maybank slipped one sen to RM8.90, IHH Healthcare fell 15 sen to RM6.60, while TNB added 10 sen to RM13.52 and Public Bank went up two sen to RM18.92.

Of the actives, Genetec Technology eased half-a-sen to 14.5 sen, DRB_Hicom shed two sen to RM1.14, while EA Holdings and MultisPorts were flat at nine sen and 6.5 sen respectively.

The FBM Emas Index declined 18.19 points for 11,891.10, the FBMT100 Index decreased 21.28 points to 11,590.72 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index slipped 12.30 points to 12,506.32.    

The FBM Ace rose 1.41 points to 5,685.27, but the FBM 70 was down 30.19 points to 13,194.74.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index dipped 21.51 points to 8,016.04, the Finance Index lost 10.28 points to 14,700.89 and the Industrial Index gained 3.97 points to 3,295.16. — Bernama