The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 3.45 points at 1,714.51 from Friday’s close of 1,717.96 .
   
After opening 3.58 points weaker at 1,714.38, the benchmark index moved between 1,709.19 and 1,717 throughout the day.
   
Market breadth was negative with losers outpacing gainers 516 to 269 with 369 counters unchanged, 578 counters untraded and eight others suspended.
   
Total volume increased to 1.85 billion shares worth RM1.64 billion from 1.63 billion shares worth RM1.65 billion recorded last Friday.
   
A dealer said most Asian markets lost ground as investors awaited policy decisions this week from the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan for further clues on market direction.
   
“Investors also took profit following the currencies recent gains,” he said.

Regional markets were mostly lower with Japan’s Nikkei 225 giving up 0.76 per cent to 17,439.30 while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng also declined by 0.76 per cent to 21,304.44 and Singapore’s Straits Times weakened 1.64 per cent to 2,892.24.

On the home front, most heavyweights were lower, with Maybank shedding four sen to RM9.01, Public Bank slid two sen to RM19.12 and IHH eased one sen to RM6.71.

Among active stocks, Vivocom and EKA Noodles added 1.5 sen each to 33 sen and 12.5 sen, respectively, Spring Gallery rose 26 sen to RM1.22, Spring Gallery warrant gained 6.5 sen to 28 sen, while Sona Petroleum warrant shed half-a-sen to three sen.

The FBM Emas Index fell 35.60 points to 11,902.89, the FBMT100 Index decreased 30.67 points to 11,597.31 and the FBM Emas Syariah Index lost 26.41 points to 12,461.34.

The FBM 70 was 61.35 points lower at 13,199.98 while the FBM Ace added 34.67 points to 5,780.27.

Sector-wise, the Finance Index dropped 91.54 points to 14,817.11, the Industrial Index slipped 5.68 points to 3,265.27 and the Plantation Index declined 10.07 points to 7,740.79.

Main Market turnover improved to 1.35 billion units worth RM1.55 billion from 1.21 billion units worth RM1.57 billion recorded on Friday.

The ACE Market turnover increased to 342.59 million shares valued at RM76.36 million from 278.62 million shares valued at RM57.41 million previously.

Warrants rose to 154.23 million units worth RM16.02 million from 144.0 million units worth RM18.51 million previously.

Consumer products accounted for 527.76 million shares traded on the Main Market, industrial products (163.20 million), construction (48.44 million), trade and services (340.49 million), technology (53.77 million), infrastructure (6.87 million), SPAC (76.27 million), finance (34.46  million), hotels (1.04 million), properties (77.38 million), plantations (11.44 million), mining (8,300), REITs (10.02 million), and closed/fund (8,200).  ― Bernama