KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — Shares on Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session easier and in line with most peers in the Asia Pacific region.

At lunch break, the key FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) declined 15.78 points to 1,650.88 from last Friday’s close of 1,666.66 after opening 14.52 points lower at 1,652.14.

The index moved between 1,649.73 and 1,654.26 throughout the morning session.

Market breadth was negative with decliners outnumbering advancers 580 to 171, while 288 counters were unchanged, 871 untraded and 40 others suspended.

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Turnover amounted to 1.36 billion shares worth RM740.53 million.

Regionally, the Singapore’s Straits Times Index declined 1.42 per cent to 3,166.49, while Japan’s Nikkei fell 3.21 per cent to 20,930.81.

A dealer said amid a lack of catalysts and the school holidays, traders were also absent on the local bourse.

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For the heavyweights, RHB Bank rose nine sen to RM5.79, Top Glove increased five sen to RM4.48 and PPB Group gained 18 sen to RM17.92.

Meanwhile, PChem was flat at RM9.03 and Maybank eased two sen to RM9.27.

Among actives, Bumi Armada and Iris Corporation improved five sen each to 19 sen and 14.5 sen respectively, while My EG Services was flat at RM1.39.

The FBM Emas Index fell 110.33 points to 11,572.84, the FBMT 100 trimmed 109.77 points to 11,427.42 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index went down 117.78 points to 11,637.37.

The FBM Ace Index declined 72.64 points to 4,742.15 and the FBM 70 was 137.87 points lower at 14,114.68.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services index shed 103.09 points to 17,071.68, the Plantation Index lost 32.46 points to 7,160.39 and the Industrial Products and Services Index trimmed 1.24 points lower to 167.77. — Bernama