KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Bursa Malaysia was broadly lower at mid-morning ahead of Bank Negara Malaysia’s two-day monetary policy committee meeting on July 5-6, with market participants anticipating another 25 basis points hike, aimed at taming inflationary pressures.

At 11.01am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) shed 9.34 points to 1,440.40 from Friday’s close of 1,449.74.

The benchmark index opened 0.24 of-a-point easier at 1,449.50.

On the broader market, losers trounced gainers 499 to 170, while 310 counters were unchanged, 1,249 untraded and 14 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 812.37 million units worth RM347.82 million.

Among the heavyweights, Hong Leong Bank advanced 14 sen to RM20.50, IHH Healthcare was flat at RM6.48 and Maybank shed three sen to RM8.59, while Public Bank and Petronas Chemicals were four sen easier at RM4.38 and RM9.04, respectively.

Of the actives, Unitrade added one sen to 28 sen, Matang edged up half-a-sen to 10 sen, MMAG Holdings was flat at 5.5 sen and Top Glove slipped two sen to 99 sen.

On the index board, FBM Emas Index depreciated 63.19 points to 10,252.69, FBM Emas Shariah Index narrowed 75.30 points to 10,405.68, FBM 70 slid 53.65 points to 12,349.89, FBM ACE decreased 70.02 points to 4,714.50, and FBMT 100 Index discounted 59.83 points to 9,999.88.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index weakened 47.35 points to 16,009.46, the Industrial Products and Services Index was 1.25 point easier at 180.44, and the Plantation Index went down 23.99 points to 6,900.73. — Bernama