KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 21): Shares on Bursa Malaysia ended the morning trading session lower on a lack of catalysts on Tuesday (Feb 21), amid a mixed performance on regional markets. 

At lunch break, the benchmark FBM KLCI, however, had risen 0.52 of a point to 1,473.98, from Monday's closing at 1,473.46. 

The key index opened 0.65 of a point higher at 1,474.11, and moved between 1,471.85 and 1,477.36 throughout the morning session.

On the broader market, losers thumped gainers 501 to 284, while 368 counters were unchanged, 1,071 untraded, and 11 others suspended.

Turnover amounted to 1.72 billion units worth RM827.14 million.

Hong Leong Investment Bank said the KLCI may remain in extended sideways consolidation, awaiting clearer cues from the Budget 2023 presentation on Friday, the local ongoing corporate results season, the hawkish US Federal Reserve stance, as well as the sluggish ringgit against the US dollar. 

The investment bank said the benchmark index’s support levels are at 1,460 to 1,471, and resistance at 1,487 to 1,500.

Of the heavyweights, Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd soared 14 sen to RM8.34, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd gained two sen to RM5.44, Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) was flat at RM8.74, Public Bank Bhd slipped one sen to RM4.15, Tenaga Nasional Bhd declined three sen to RM9.83, and IHH Healthcare Bhd eased eight sen to RM6.02.

As for the actives, EG Industries Bhd soared 15 sen to RM1.01, Velesto Energy Bhd inched up half a sen to 24.5 sen, Progressive Impact Corp Bhd rose one sen to 33 sen, Zen Tech International Bhd was flat at 3.5 sen, while MMAG Holdings Bhd edged down half a sen to two sen.  

On the index board, the FBMT 100 Index fell 7.06 points to 10,385.72, the FBM Emas Index was 10.45 points easier at 10,714.38, the FBM Emas Shariah Index dipped 24.17 points to 11,050.61, the FBM 70 slid 55.24 points to 13,476.52, and the FBM ACE shrank 29.0 points to 5,573.94. 

Sector-wise, the Industrial Products and Services Index added 1.02 points to 188.81, the Financial Services Index climbed 1.11 points to 16,066.46, and the Plantation Index perked up 28.88 points to 6,843.31.