KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 ― The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended the morning session today on a negative note, due to the lack of buying activities in heavyweights, as well as small caps and lower liners.
At 12.30pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 2.09 points weaker at 1,627.50, after moving in a tight range of between 1,626.40 and 1,629.90.
The index opened 0.56 of a point lower at 1,629.03 against yesterday's close of 1,629.59.
On the broader market, decliners led gainers 364 to 170 with 336 counters unchanged, 889 untraded and 26 others were suspended.
Turnover stood at 537.68 million shares worth RM377.96 million.
A dealer said the downtrend was in line with most regional peers as investors took profits ahead of the Christmas holiday.
Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 0.32 per cent to 19,383.56, Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 0.85 per cent to 21.625.26, and Singapore's Straits Times declined 0.69 per cent to 2,88.54.
Of the heavyweights, Maybank eased seven sen to RM7.80, TNB and Public Bank each fell two sen to RM13.74 and RM19.72 respectively, while Public Bank added two sen to RM6.94.
Of actives, Hibiscus Petroleum and Iris Corporation each shed one sen to 37.5 sen and 12 sen, MNC Wireless was flat at seven sen, while Malaysia Building Society gained two sen to 92 sen.
Among losers, Tek Guan Perdana shed 44 sen to RM2.33, Apollo Food Holdings lost 1.5 sen to RM5.50, while Genting and KESM each fell 12 sen to RM7.80 and RM9.75 respectively.
The FBM Emas Index declined 20.92 points to 11,393.86, the FBMT100 Index slid 19.05 points to 11,115.80 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index dipped 15.61 points to 11,970.80.
The FBM70 lost 40.64 points to 13,040.42 and the FBM Ace was 38.94 points lower at 4,770.61.
The Finance Index shed 12.90 points to 14,255.34, the Industrial Index slid 1.30 points to 3,087.37, but the Plantation Index rose 7.81 points to 7,719.60. ― Bernama
