KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 ― Bursa Malaysia stayed negative on persistent selling activities in the broader market led by the FBM Palm Oil Plantation index recording a 1.66 per cent loss, said an analyst.

At 3.06pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) declined 9.22 points to 1,580.22 from 1,589.44 yesterday.

The index opened 0.59 point easier at 1,588.50.

The broader market remained bleak as losers outpaced gainers 482 to 228, while 369 counters were unchanged, 880 untraded and 19 others suspended.

Turnover amounted to 1.18 billion shares worth RM729.89 million.

The FBM Palm Oil Plantation index, which was moving in the range of 172.37, fell 192.77 points to 11,362.98.

Among oil palm plantation companies, IOICorp fell 10 sen to RM4.33, while Kuala Lumpur Kepong and Sime Darby Plantation were flat at RM23.18 and RM4.83 respectively.

"This was probably due to the intense news that Indonesia has identified six Malaysian-linked companies operating estates in Indonesia out of 56 companies that were responsible for the open burning which caused the bad haze in the region,” she said.

Among other heavyweights, Maybank gave up four sen to RM8.55, Tenaga lost 10 sen to RM13.60, Public Bank declined 18 sen to RM19.82, PChem went down six sen to RM7.45 while IHH was flat at RM5.68.

Of the most active, Vsolar added one sen to 8.5 sen while Vivocom was flat at 1.5 sen and Armada eased one sen to 31 sen.

The FBM Emas Index fell 54.88 points to 11,181.14, the FBMT 100 Index dropped 54.35 points to 11,012.95 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index weakened 47.32 points to 11,754.58.

The FBM 70 depreciated 27.86 points to 13,905.13 but the FBM Ace marginally increased 0.46 point to 4,535.28.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index shed 99.32 points to 15,267.14, the Plantation Index erased 42.63 points to 6,728.11 and the Industrial Products & Services Index was 0.47 point easier at 152.73. ― Bernama