KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — Bursa Malaysia opened lower today amid a flat performance on Wall Street which was cautiously waiting the release of US job data later today, dealer said.

At 9.14am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 0.92 of-a-point lower at 1,654.37, after opening a marginal 0.05 of a point at 1,655.24.

Gainers outpaced decliners 161 to 78 while 186 counters were unchanged, 1,261 untraded and 19 others were suspended.

Turnover stood at 174.55 million shares worth RM56.44 million.

The market failed to take any cue from US crude oil prices which settled 2.7 per cent higher at US$41.93 a barrel, a day after surging more than three per cent amid a drawdown in gasoline inventories while International Brent crude was up 2.67 per cent at US$44.25 a barrel.

The FBM Emas Index declined 0.32 of-a-point to 11,621.48 and the FBMT 100 Index was down 2.09 points at 11,318.96.

However, the FBM Emas Shariah Index increased 1.17 points to 12,236.90, the FBM Ace expanded 44.77 points to 5,452.85 and the FBM 70 rose 12.98 points to 13,348.83.

Sector-wise, the Industrial Index increased 2.36 points to 3,111.91 and the Plantation Index appreciated 0.05 of-a-point to 7,559.63 but the Finance Index was 10.15 points lower at 14,169.31.

Among heavyweights, TNB lost two sen to RM14.38, Maybank inched up a sen to RM7.94, Petronas Chemicals added three sen to RM6.59, Public Bank fell six sen to RM19.54 while IHH was flat at RM6.49.

Of losers, Hong Leong and Petronas Gas dropped 10 sen each to RM15.16 and RM21.90, respectively, AMMB fell five sen to RM4.35 and DIGI erased four sen to RM4.92. — Bernama