KUALA LUMPUR: Although share prices were broadly lower, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) slowly picked up at mid-morning, in tandem with the mixed Asian equity markets, a dealer said.
At 11am, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 4.29 points lower at 1,825.62, up from 1,820.57 at opening.
Market breadth remained negative: decliners more than doubled the number of advancers by 486 to 162, while 237 counters were unchanged, 819 untraded and 26 others suspended.
On the scoreboard, the FBM Emas Index fell 45.88 points to 12,558.17, the FBMT100 Index lost 38 points to 12,247.17, the FBM 70 trimmed 77.83 points to13,556.76, the FBM Emas Syariah Index contracted 70.29 points to 13,063.49 and the FBM Ace went down 34.95 points to 6,371.02.
On a sectoral basis, the Finance Index decreased 44.04 points to 16,289.12 but the Industrial Index improved 10.01 points to 3,339.83 and the Plantation Index added 23.14 points to 8,324.70.
Turnover stood at 726.89 million shares worth RM528.99 million.
Of the heavyweights, Maybank eased five sen to RM9.50, TNB fell two sen to RM14.28 while Public Bank was flat at RM18.60.
Among actives, Malayan United eased 1.5 sen to 27 sen, Sumatec inched down one sen to 25.5 sen and Sona Petroleum was 1.5 sen lower at 17.5 sen.-- Bernama