KUALA LUMPUR (July 18): The FBM KLCI edged up in early trade this morning, lifted by select blue chips but gains are seen limited given the muted regional markets.

At 9.05am, the FBM KLCI added 1.48 points to 1,756.67.

The early gainers included Petronas Dagangan Bhd, Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd, Time Dotcom Bhd, Apollo Food Holdings Bhd, Bursa Malaysia Bhd, PPB Group Bhd, British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, Ajinomoto (M) Bhd and Gas Malaysia Bhd.

Asian shares stepped back from more than two-year highs on Tuesday while the dollar sagged on growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will take a more cautious approach to raising interest rates, according to Reuters.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.2 percent, a day after scaling its loftiest levels since April 2015, it said.

JF Apex Securities Research in a market preview today said US markets ended mixed overnight with the Nasdaq extending its winning streak to 7 days as the earnings season kicked off.

It said that earlier, European stocks closed slightly lower amid the second round of Brexit negotiations.

“On the local market, the FBM KLCI ended flat after adding 0.19 points to 1755.19 points.

“Following the mixed performance in the US and Europe, the FBM KLCI could remain sideways above the support of 1750 points,” it said.