KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 ― Share prices on Bursa Malaysia stayed in negative territory, tracking the retracement of Asian bourses and taking the cue from the weaker overnight Wall Street, dealers said.

At 11.05am, the  FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 3.21 points lower at 1,773.10 after opening 3.97 points easier at 1,774.81 from Thursday's close of 1,776.31.

On the broader market, losers outpaced gainers 444 to 186 with 276 counters unchanged, 939 untraded and 44 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 537.56 million shares worth RM394.60 million.

A dealer said Asian bourses joined the global market retreat from riskier asset on uncertainties over the US President Donald Trump's ability to fulfill his economic agenda.

Confidence further eroded after the terrorists attack in Barcelona, Spain, which exacerbated uncertainties surrounding the equities market.

Meanwhile, Hong Leong Investment Bank (HLIB) said Trump's council crisis, coupled with the rumours of the President’s Chief Economic Advisor, Gary Cohn, leaving the White House had triggered jittery moments in the stock markets.

"Investors remained cautious over the near term and we think traders might want to deploy sell-into-strength strategy as the upside for the FBM KLCI could be limited at around 1,780 level,” it added.

Among heavyweights, Maybank and Tenaga shed two sen each  to RM9.68 and RM14.22 respectively, Sime Darby fell three sen to RM9.27,  CIMB Group eased one sen to RM6.76 and Petronas Chemicals declined eight sen to RM7.20.

Public Bank added two sen to RM20.58.

Of actives, Compugates and JAG were traded unchanged at three sen and 14.5 sen respectively, MTouche eased half-a-sen to 29.5 sen and Lotte Chemical call warrant shed one sen to 33.5 sen.

The FBM Emas Index was down 25.74 points at 12,600.40, the FBM Emas Shariah Index fell 32.92 points to 12,733.31 and the FBMT 100 Index slipped 21 points to 12,260.91.

The FBM 70 decreased 21.19 points to 14,957.83 and the FBM Ace shed 29.01 points to 6,547.30.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index declined 23.19 points to 16,766.60, the Industrial Index eased  6.14 points to 3,222.50 and the Plantation Index fell 8.56 points at 7,770.39. ― Bernama