KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 ― Bursa Malaysia remained lower at mid-afternoon on lack of catalysts despite the mostly upbeat performance in regional peers.

At 3.05pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 3.42 points to 1,477.51 from yesterday's closing of 1,480.93. The market bellwether opened 1.40 points weaker at 1,479.53

Market breadth was also negative with decliners leading advancers 481 to 299, while 373 counters were unchanged, 1,057 untraded and nine others suspended.

Turnover amounted to 2.25 billion units worth RM971.76 million.

Among the heavyweights, IHH Healthcare and Digi both rose four sen to RM6.05 and RM3.99, respectively, Hong Leong Bank advanced 10 sen to RM20.44, Maybank declined three sen to RM8.75, Public Bank eased one sen to RM4.29 while Petronas Chemicals and CIMB shed seven sen each to RM8.33 and RM5.66.

Among the actives, ACE Market debutant DS Sigma jumped 14 sen to 69 sen, Zen Tech added 1.5 sen to 4.0 sen, Cypark ticked up 2.5 sen to 61 sen, Borneo Oil was flat at 2.0 sen, while Citaglobal and Top Glove decreased one sen each to 34.5 sen and 90 sen respectively.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index slid 16.19 points to 10,618.78, the FBMT 100 Index went down 21.02 points to 10,327.32 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index trimmed 13.36 points to 10,821.19.

The FBM 70 Index gave up 14.07 points to 13,042.03 and the FBM ACE Index fell 8.41 points to 5,363.89.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index fell 32.16 points to 16,392.20, the Plantation Index dipped 36.86 points to 6,927.95, the Energy Index inched down 0.24 of-a-point to 773.64, and the Industrial Products and Services Index shed 0.87 of-a-point to 180.99. ― Bernama