KUALA LUMPUR (July 12): Bursa Malaysia ended the morning trading session lower, with the benchmark index declining by 0.39% amid volatility in the regional market performance, a dealer said.

At 12.30pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) dropped 5.51 points to 1,420.28 from Friday's close of 1,425.79.

The benchmark index, which opened 0.4 of-a-point higher at 1,426.19, moved between 1,419.25 and 1,426.19 throughout the session.

On the broader market, losers thumped gainers 526 to 252, while 292 counters were unchanged, 1,170 untraded and eight others suspended.

Turnover stood at 1.59 billion units worth RM642.33 million.

SPI Asset Management managing partner Stephen Innes said equities in the region continue to see a sell-off, with the ramping up of Covid-19 restrictions in China.

"In addition, low liquidity conditions ahead of the closely watched US Consumer Price Index data and the start of earnings season will likely exacerbate the cross-asset fallout," he told Bernama.

Among the heavyweights, Malayan Banking Bhd stayed flat at RM8.62, Public Bank Bhd eased two sen to RM4.38, Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd fell 14 sen to RM8.33, IHH Healthcare Bhd added three sen to RM6.39, and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd was down five sen to RM5.09.

As for the actives, TWL Holdings Bhd and Widad Group Bhd stayed flat at 6.5 sen and 37 sen, respectively, Yong Tai Bhd dropped 1.5 sen to 6.5 sen, Metronic Global Bhd rose 2.5 sen to 12 sen, and Top Glove Corp Bhd increased seven sen to RM1.06.

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index went down 45.3 points to 10,091.23, the FBM Emas Shariah Index reduced 57.82 points to 10,136.1, the FBM 70 was 76.21 points lower at 12,120.1, the FBMT 100 Index contracted 43.79 points to 9,849.29, and the FBM ACE dropped 70.01 points to 4,597.8.  

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index declined 33.39 points to 16,043.73, the Industrial Products and Services Index was 2.85 points lower at 169.98, and the Plantation Index gained 32.77 points to 6,667.63.