BURSA Malaysia ended the morning trading session lower today in line with regional peers’ performance, due to the lack of fresh catalysts amidst global market volatility, a dealer said.

At 12.30pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell by 7.04 points to 1,379.78 from yesterday’s close of 1,386.82.

The barometer index opened 1.46 points higher at 1,388.28, before turning negative at mid-morning.

On the broader market, decliners trumped gainers 500 to 212, while 339 counters were unchanged, 1,307 untraded and 17 others suspended.

Turnover stood at 980.1 million units worth RM723.16 million.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd VP of Equity Research Thong Pak Leng said global investors remained in cautious mode ahead of the US’ inflation data due tomorrow.

“We reckon that selling would persist in technology stocks, tracking the negative performance on Nasdaq,” he told Bernama.

Among the heavyweights, Malayan Banking Bhd rose seven sen to RM8.51, Public Bank Bhd added four sen to RM4.24 and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd went up two sen to RM5.31, while Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd inched down two sen to RM8.57 and IHH Healthcare Bhd fell 10 sen to RM5.55.

Of the actives, Privasia Technology Bhd rose 1.5 sen to 12.5 sen, Widad Group Bhd and NWP Holdings Bhd stayed flat at 37.5 sen and 23.5 sen, respectively, and Advance Synergy Bhd lost half-a-sen to 6.5 sen.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index trimmed 56.17 points to 9,844.7, the FBM 70 went down 105.69 points to 11,927.07, the FBM T100 Index contracted 57.54 points to 9,597.45, the FBM Emas Shariah Index dropped 118.56 points to 9,792.22 and the FBM ACE reduced 51.24 points to 4,601.6.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index was 74.33 points higher at 15,959.47, while the Industrial Products and Services Index eased by 1.56 points to 169.03, the Plantation Index slipped 70.31 points to 6,305.44 and the Energy Index reduced by 3.33 points to 672.43. — Bernama / pic TMR File