KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Bursa Malaysia remained lower at mid-afternoon today on losses in heavyweights led by Maybank, Petronas Gas and Genting Malaysia.

At 3pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 2.34 points weaker at 1,773.88 after opening 1.5 points easier at 1,774.72 from Friday’s close of 1,776.22.

On the broader market, losers outpaced gainers by 348 to 398 with 354 counters unchanged, 742 counters untraded and 32 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 1.1 billion shares worth RM903.89 million.

Maybank, Petronas Gas and Genting Malaysia contributed a combined 2.9 points to the composite index.

Maybank fell eight sen to RM9.58, Petronas Gas dropped 10 sen to RM18.70 and Genting Malaysia was 11 sen lower at RM6.03.

Among heavyweights, Tenaga rose two sen to RM14.26, Public Bank gained four sen to RM20.62, Sime Darby shed three sen to RM9.25, while CIMB Group eased two sen each to RM6.75.

Of the actives, Dagang Nexchange increased three sen to 50 sen, SIG Gases inched up one sen to RM1.11, Malaysia Building Society was two sen better at RM1.29 while MLabs Systems was flat at 21 sen.

The FBM Emas Index was down 12.86 points at 12,613.36, FBM Emas Shariah Index eased 1.79 points to 12,769.09 and the FBMT 100 Index slipped 13.59 points to 12,270.67.

The FBM 70 decreased 6.74 points to 14,986.17. The FBM Ace increased 45.27 points to 6,557.90.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index declined 33.92 points to 16,743.56, Industrial Index eased  3.97 points to 3,226.31 and the Plantation Index fell 24.76 points at 7,800.24. — Bernama