KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — Bursa Malaysia remained easier at mid-morning, trading in a cautious mode due to external factors.

At 11.01am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) erased 2.66 points to 1,623.53 from last Friday’s close of 1,626.19.

The index had opened 2.28 points higher at 1,628.47, but started to retreat thereafter.

On the broader market, losers thumped gainers 533 to 413, while 408 counters were unchanged, 883 untraded and 37 others suspended.

Total volume stood at 3.42 billion shares worth RM1.53 billion.

In a note today, Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd said the local bourse is expected to trade in a cautious mode with investors monitoring the status of the United States’ bond yield, as well as the emergence of geopolitical tensions after North Korea severed its diplomatic ties with Malaysia.

North Korean diplomats departed from the Malaysian shores yesterday after Pyongyang had cut diplomatic ties with the nation following the extradition of one of its citizen to the United States.

Among the heavyweights, Tenaga gained 24 sen to RM10.80, PMetal added 18 sen to RM10, SIMEPLT rose four sen to 4.89, while Topglov and Dialog were three sen higher at RM5.44 and RM3.20, respectively.

Meanwhile, Maybank lost two sen to RM8.36, PChem eased eight sen to RM8.14, IHH shed 16 sen to RM5.32 and CIMB fell six sen to RM4.52.

As for the active counters, Macpie gained seven sen to 62.5 sen but its warrant reduced one sen to 11 sen, while Ucrest gained two sen to 24.5 sen.

Conversely, Widad fell six sen to 50.5 sen, Dynacia erased half-a-sen to 14.5 sen and DNex was 6.5 sen lower at 88 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index weakened 15.87 points to 11,907.34, the FBMT 100 eased 17.85 points to 11,583.73, and the FBM Emas Shariah shed 3.97 points to 13,225.92.

The FBM 70 reduced 19.78 points to 15,669.56 while the FBM ACE improved 110.56 points to 10,745.43.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index shed 32.85 points to 15,476.80, the Plantation Index inched up 11.19 points to 7,186.81 and the Industrial Products and Services Index earned 0.18 of-a-point to 193.31. — Bernama