KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21 — Sell-off in heavyweights amid weak global market sentiment has pushed the key index on Bursa Malaysia to end the morning session in a low note.

At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KCLI (FBM KLCI) fell 12.54 points to 1,588.6 from 1,601.14 on Wednesday after moving between 1,587.97 and 1,601.36.

It opened 0.22 of-a-point better at 1,601.36.

The composite index mostly moved in the negative territory, mainly dragged down by losses in Public Bank and Tenaga with a combined 4.152 points.

Public Bank contracted 40 sen to RM19.52 while Tenaga lost 14 sen to RM13.52.

The overall market breadth was sour with losers overwhelmed gainers 471 to 274, while 343 counters unchanged, 930 untraded and 15 others suspended.

Turnover amounted to 1.55 billion shares worth RM939.41 million.

A dealer said Asian stocks tumbled as worries over US-China trade talks intensified, with the ‘phase one’ deal might be delayed until next year.

Among heavyweights, Maybank eased two sen to RM8.65, Petronas Chemicals trimmed four sen to RM7.17, CIMB eased three sen to RM5.35 but IHH added one sen to RM5.45.

Of the actives, Alam Maritim bagged 1.5 sen to 14.5 sen, KNM inched down half-a-sen to 40.5 sen, Seacera fell 8.5 sen to 40.5 sen, while Fintec was flat at eight sen.

The FBM Emas Index was 71.7 points lower at 11,294.77, the FBMT 100 Index decreased 73.37 points to 11,102.14, the FBM Emas Shariah Index declined 57.51 points to 11,840.4, the FBM Ace slid 23.43 points to 4,917.02 and the FBM 70 edged down 34.95 points to 14,144.6.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index erased 119.23 points to 15,522.82, the Industrial Products & Services Index slipped 0.49 of-a-point to 151.71, but the Plantation Index gained 18.53 points to 7,101.62. — Bernama