KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 ― The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) ended the morning session slightly lower by 0.18 per cent as the market bellwether was weighed down by losses in selected heavyweights led by Top Glove and Axiata.

At lunch break, the key index retreated 2.96 points to 1,608.32 from yesterday’s close of 1,611.28.

The index opened 5.13 points easier at 1,606.15 and moved between 1,601.67 and 1,608.65 throughout the morning session.

On the broader market, losers outnumbered gainers at 582 versus 364, while 429 counters were unchanged, 824 untraded and 93 others suspended.

Total volume stood at 2.86 billion shares worth RM1.78 billion.

Top Glove trimmed 22 sen to RM4.83, after  the US Customs and Border Protection (US CBP) directed its personnel at all US ports of entry to begin seizing disposable gloves produced in Malaysia by the glove producer.

Among other heavyweights, Axiata and Hap Seng fell nine sen each to RM3.76 and RM8.23, respectively, Digi shed five sen to RM3.72, and Genting Malaysia eased three sen to RM3.11.

Maybank advanced seven sen to RM8.45, Public Bank gained four sen to RM4.27, TNB put on eight sen to RM10.42, and IHH Healthcare was nine sen higher at RM5.39.   

As for the active counters, Berjaya Corp added 1.5 sen to 35 sen, ACE-market debutant Flexidynamic surged 26 sen to 46 sen, Dagang NeXchange perked up five sen to 93.5 sen, Kanger International was flat at seven sen, while Widad trimmed 4.5 sen to 61 sen.

On the index board, the FBM 70 slipped 51.08 points to 15,550.71, the FBM Emas Index shrank 24.96 points to 11,809.86, the FBMT 100 slid 25.41 points to 11,480.51, the FBM ACE eased 79.18 points to 10,404.91, and the FBM Emas Shariah fell 56.74 points to 13,076.88. 

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index expanded 55.66 points to 15,474.77, the Plantation Index increased 33.78 points to 7,130.24, and the Industrial Products and Services Index inched down 0.38 of-a-point to 192.48. ― Bernama