KUALA LUMPUR, July 20 ― Bursa Malaysia opened lower today in tandem with the weaker overnight performance of Wall Street and impacted by lower oil prices.   

At 9.05am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 2.49 points lower at 1,668.06, against Tuesday's close of 1,670.55. It opened 1.06 points easier at 1,669.49.

Market breadth, however, was positive with 101 gainers and 60 losers, while 160 counters were unchanged, 1,380 untraded and 17 others suspended.      

Turnover stood at 84.95 million shares worth RM24.33 million.                   

A dealer said the global equity markets declined overnight as investors took cue on the disappointing US earnings data report, while, the decline in oil prices was due to concerns over a crude and fuel supply glut.

"We expect today's FBM KLCI to likely trade below the 1,666.43 level after yesterday's market action revealed that buying power was weaker than selling pressure,” said Alliance DBS Research in a note today.   

The FBM Emas Index declined 13.68 points to 11,667.18, the FBMT 100 Index fell 15.41 points to 11,364.46, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index depreciated 16.04 points to 12,237.95.          

The FBM 70 shed 12.20 points to 13,227.04 and the FBM Ace was 12.19 points lower at 5,543.41.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index trimmed 17.77 points to 14,252.70, the Plantation Index slid 20.03 points to 7,572.62 and the Industrial Index eased 6.49 points to 3,148.39.

Among heavyweights, Maybank was down one sen to RM8.15, TNB slid six sen to RM14.24, IHH Healthcare gained two sen to RM6.57, while Public Bank, Axiata and Sime Darby were flat at RM19.54, RM5.75 and RM7.64 respectively.

Of the actives, Borneo Oil and Hiap Teck gained half-a-sen each to 19 sen and 27.5 sen respectively, Vivocom reduced half-a-sen to 27.5 sen and KNM Group was flat at 40.5 sen. ― Bernama