KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 ― Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session lower as selling activity continued in the broader market led by finance stocks, including Public Bank, while tracking the movement of regional peers, dealers said.

At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell 0.63 per cent or 9.93 points to 1,564.97 from 1,574.90 yesterday.

The index opened 2.94 points weaker at 1,571.96 and moved between 1,564.17 and 1,572.04 throughout the morning session.

On the broader market, losers outpaced gainers 482 to 200, while 373 counters were unchanged, 920 untraded and 19 others suspended.

Turnover amounted to 1.31 billion shares worth RM579.18 million.

Maybank IB Research said the lower regional markets was due to the overnight selldown on US markets  which further extended following weaker US economic data and the World Trade Organisation’s decision on allowing the US to pursue additional tariffs on European goods.

There were also news reports that investors are worried about sustained trade wars, and it would be a drag on global growth and potentially pull the US into a recession.

“Technically, we expect the FBM KLCI to continue to range between 1,550 and 1,600 today. Downside supports are realigned at 1,570 and 1,550,” the research firm said in a note today.

Among heavyweights, Maybank slid three sen to RM8.50, Tenaga eased four sen to RM13.56, PBBank lost 38 sen to RM19.32, while PChem increased one sen to RM7.47 and IHH was flat at RM5.64.

Of the most actives, Sumatec and Sapura Energy each eased half-a-sen to 1.5 sen and 26.5 sen respectively, while VSolar bagged one sen to 8.5 sen.

For the top losers, Nestle lost 70 sen to RM144.50 and DLady dropped 60 sen to RM58.90, while PBBank was listed as the third top loser.

The FBM Emas Index dropped 68.81 points to 11,081.11, the FBMT 100 Index was down 69.22 points to 10,911.82 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index slid 55.68 points to 11,663.69.

The FBM 70 depreciated 87.38 points to 13,789.76, but the FBM Ace recovered 4.52 points to 4,520.56.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index slumped 112.81 points to 15,110.50, the Plantation Index eased 30.02 points to 6,639.31 and the Industrial Products & Services Index was 0.43 of-a-point weaker at 152.14. ― Bernama