KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 ― Bursa Malaysia remained in negative territory at mid-afternoon today, with the key index dragged down by continued selling in selected heavyweights, led by Tenaga.

At 3pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 8.27 points lower at 1,679.211 from Thursday's close of 1,687.48.

The index ticked up 0.12 of-a-point to 1,687.60 at the opening before sliding into negative territory thereafter.

Market breadth remained negative, with 464 decliners overrunning 260 advancers, while 405 counters remained unchanged, 718 untraded and 21 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 1.70 billion units worth RM942.45 million. 

Tenaga led the fall among heavyweight stocks in declining 62 sen to RM13.52. The counter and its warrant were also among the top losers seen on the local bourse, with its warrant giving up 11 sen to nine sen.

Other blue chip counters on a downtrend included Axiata and AMMB, retreating seven sen each to RM5.19 and RM4.34 respectively, while Maybank and Maxis lost four sen each to RM8.94 and RM5.66.

Of the top losers, Allianz-PA lost RM1.00 for RM13.50, BAT declined 14 sen to RM29.04, while Petronas Dagangan and Carlsberg dropped 10 sen each to RM25.60 and RM25.40.

KNM maintained its position as the most actively traded counter since the opening, bagging two sen to 32 sen, Green Packet and Prestariang edged up one sen each to 39 sen and 48.5 sen respectively,  as Iris ticked up half-a-sen to 15 sen, while Sumatec slid half-a- sen to three sen.

The FBM 70 shrank 31.65 points to 14,906.75 and the FBMT 100 Index lost 49.93 points to 11,726.91, but the FBM Ace advanced  31.55 points to 4,654.61.

The FBM Emas Index shed 48.27 points to 11,890.66 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index lost 73.02 points to 2,261.27.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index was 6.24 points weaker at 16,776.41 and the Industrial Products & Services Index slipped 0.38 of-a-point to 162.06.

The Plantation Index, however, accumulated 26.87 points to 6,970.34. ― Bernama