KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 ― Bursa Malaysia’s key index remained lower at mid-afternoon due to persistent selling in selected consumer products and healthcare counters, dealers said.

At 3pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) declined 15.59 points to 1,607.88 compared to yesterday’s close of 1,623.47.

The market bellwether opened 0.26 of-a-point lower at 1,623.21.

Overall market breadth was negative as losers thumped gainers 700 versus 331, while 432 counters were unchanged, 737 untraded and 29 others suspended.

Total volume stood at 5.08 billion shares worth RM3.59 billion.

Among the heavyweights, Maybank slipped 8.0 sen to RM8.28, Public Bank fell 2.0 sen to RM4.17, Petronas Chemicals decreased 3.0 sen to RM7.88, Top Glove reduced 9.0 sen to RM5.81, while TNB was flat at RM10.

Among the active counters, Focus Dynamics eased half-a-sen to 14 sen, Mah Sing contracted 2.0 sen to RM1.06, while Kanger International earned half-a-sen to 7.5 sen and Careplus rose 4.0 sen to RM2.80.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index dipped 85.99 points to 11,851.92, the FBMT 100 went down 89.54 points to 11,503.04, the FBM 70 shed 37.39 points to 15,680.23, the FBM Emas Shariah lost 96.14 points to 13,348.17, while the FBM ACE added 30.98 points to 8,931.90.

Sector-wise, the Plantation Index slipped 46.19 points to 6,838.55, the Financial Services Index was weaker by 107.44 points at 14,944.17 and the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down 0.86 of-a-point to 196.80. ― Bernama