KUALA LUMPUR • Bursa Malaysia remained in negative territory at mid-morning, dragged down by persistent selling in selected heavyweights.

At 11.05, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 5.08 points to 1,685.64 from Thursday’s close of 1,690.72.

The index opened 2.81 points weaker at 1,687.91.

Market breadth was slightly positive with 247 gainers to 245 losers, while 311 counters were unchanged, 1,084 untraded and 54 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 612.44 million shares worth RM275.91 million.

Among heavyweights, Maybank and Petronas Chemicals edged down one sen each to RM9.39 and RM9.35 respectively, Tenaga slid 12 sen to RM13.46 and CIMB trimmed three sen to RM5.75, while Public Bank was unchanged at RM24.88.

Of actives, Hubline and Bumi Armada inched up half-a-sen each to 4.5 sen and 15.5 sen respectively, VS Industry added 1.5 sen to 72 sen, while Sapura Energy retreated half-a-sen to 29 sen and Permaju was flat at 34.5 sen.

Dutch Lady was the top loser in easing 70 sen to RM61.50, Nestle and Ajinomoto lost 60 sen each at RM147.40 and RM19.00 respectively, as BAT fell 54 sen to RM35.82 and Malaysia Airports 16 sen lower at RM8.28.

The FBM Emas Index contracted 22.83 points to 11,500.81,  the FBMT 100 Index slipped 24.42 points to 11,418.34 and the FBM Emas Shariah Index declined 28.23 points to 11,457.06.

The FBM Ace Index was 22.79 points higher at 4,260.45 and the FBM 70 increased 14.07 points to 13,080.63. 

Sector-wise, the Finance Index slid 19.47 points to 17,327.58 and the Plantation Index went down 38.82 points to 6,790.21.But, the Industrial Products and Services Index ticked up 0.10 of-a-point to 166.53. — Bernama