KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 ― The benchmark index turned lower at mid-morning, losing 0.16 per cent, following selling in SimePLT, Maybank and Airport (MAHB) counters.

At 11am, the  FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) erased 3.01 points to 1,795.56 after opening 2.71 points higher at 1,801.28.

Sime PLT lost 11 sen to RM5.18, Maybank reduced four sen to RM9.84 and MAHB declined 23 sen to RM9.01. All these counters contributed 2.81 to the composite index.

Market breadth was also negative as losers led gainers 314 to 201, with 369 counters unchanged, 1,000 untraded and 36 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 631.45 million shares worth RM376.99 million.

Among actives, PWorth and BornOil were flat at five sen and 5.5 sen respectively, SapNRG added half-a-sen to 34 sen and MyEG inched up one sen to RM1.66.

The FBM Emas Index fell 13.77 points to 12,546.86, the FBMT 100 Index shed 15.0 points to 12,359.62, with the FBM Emas Shariah Index losing 10.21 points to 12,678.70, as the FBM Ace Index went down 7.45  points to 5,134.25.

However, the FBM 70 gained 3.59 points to 14,921.28.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index declined 25.45 points to 17,751.29 and the Industrial Index fell 9.67 points to 3,216.45 while the Plantation Index lost 44.33 points to 7,475.94. ― Bernama