KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 26 — Bursa Malaysia finished the morning session in the red today, in line with regional peers which traded mostly lower weighed down by concerns over the uncertainty in the United States.

At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) lost 19.84 points, or 1.18 per cent, to 1,663.98 from Monday's close of 1,683.82.

The key index moved between 1,660.80 and 1,672.08 throughout the session, after opening 15.13 points lower at 1,668.69 this morning.

Market breadth was negative with 592 losers against 118 gainers, while 229 counters were unchanged, 946 untraded and 35 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 694.65 million shares worth RM427.72 million.

A dealer said the partial US government shutdown and news on the US President Donald Trump’s discussion to dismiss the Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell had hampered the global risk appetite.

Regionally, Singapore's Straits Times Index fell 1.23 per cent to 3,013.57, Japan's Nikkei eased 0.06 per cent to 19,144.44 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was 0.40 per cent lower at 25,651.38.

Among heavyweights, Maybank and Petronas Chemicals trimmed one sen each to RM9.25 and RM9.22, respectively, Public Bank fell eight sen to RM24.70, Tenaga slipped 52 sen to RM13.48 and CIMB was four sen weaker at RM5.64.

Of actives, Sapura Energy eased one sen to 30.5 sen, Hibiscus shed three sen to 77 sen, VS Industry and Prestariang dipped two sen each to 68.5 sen and 35 sen, respectively, while Hubline was unchanged at four sen.

Nestle was the top loser, giving up RM1.10 to RM144.90, BAT and United Plantations declined 80 sen each to RM35.10 and RM25.00, respectively, Ajinomoto lost 68 sen to RM18.32 and Petronas Gas dropped 42 sen to RM18.76.

The FBM Emas Index declined 133.59 points at 11,324.66, the FBMT 100 Index weakened 128.93 points to 11,246.24, the FBM 70 lost 124.72 points to 12,777.19 and the FBM Ace Index was 84.39 points easier at 4,142.20.

The FBM Emas Shariah Index slumped 178.18 points to 11,281.19.

Sectorwise, the Finance Index fell 68.43 points to 17,079.64, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down 1.08 points to 164.71 and the Plantation Index went down 34.60 points to 6,746.63. — Bernama