KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 — Bursa Malaysia opened slightly lower this morning dragged down by selling in selected heavyweights against the backdrop of mixed regional peers and easing US-China tensions, dealers said.

At 9.10am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) slipped 0.27 point to 1,560.47 from Monday’s close of 1,560.74.

The key index opened 1.1 points weaker at 1,559.64.

The composite index was heavily dragged down by losses in Hartalega, Petronas Chemicals and Top Glove, with a combined 6.113 points.

On the broader market, there were 252 losers and 217 gainers, while 281 counters were unchanged, 1,261 untraded and 23 others suspended.

Trading volume stood at 807.62 million shares worth RM327.83 million.

Maybank Investment Bank in its research note said the stronger performance in the overnight US market is set to spark bargain hunting in the domestic market today, with the interest likely focused on the healthcare, energy and technology sectors.

“Technically, we expect the FBM KLCI to continue to range between 1,540 and 1,600 today. Downside supports are at 1,540 and 1,515,” it said.

Of the heavyweights, Maybank added one sen to RM7.82, Public Bank rose 10 sen to RM17.90, Tenaga earned six sen to RM11.18 while IHH Healthcare was flat at RM5.37.

Top Glove eased 32 sen to RM22.10, Hartalega lost 34 sen to RM15.22 and Petronas Chemicals shed 13 sen to RM6.14.

Among actives, Borneo Oil was flat at seven sen, Sapura Energy inched up half-a-sen to 12.5 sen, XOX slid 2.5 sen to 17.5 sen, while Optimax bagged 36 sen to 66 sen.

Ajinomoto was the biggest gainer this morning after rising 66 sen to RM15.80, while Nestle topped the losers list, contracting RM1.80 to RM141.20.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index decreased 13.69 points to 11,094.06, the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 42.66 points lower at 12,798.92 and the FBMT 100 Index declined 10.36 points to 10,926.65.

The FBM 70 lost 46.79 points to 13,980.22 and the FBM ACE reduced 51.15 points to 9,809.19.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index rose 49.8 points to 13,386.52, the Plantation Index bagged 4.43 points to 7,050.5 but the Industrial Products and Services Index slipped 1.04 points to 140.07. — Bernama