Bursa share prices stay in negative territory

Share prices on Bursa Malaysia stayed in negative territory at midafternoon in tandem with weaker regional Asian markets following a lower than expected global economic growth forecast in the World Bank report, dealers said.

As at 3.15 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) lost 5.61 points to 1,680.28 after opening 0.63 of a point higher at 1,686.52.

In the global markets, the US stocks were higher on upbeat retail data, but in Japan, shares fell on profit-taking. On the local front, the Finance Index lost 63.21 points to 15,375.49 and the Industrial Index eased 7.86 points to 2,797.18. The Plantation Index tumbled 36.79 points to 8,098.69, FBM Emas Index slipped 28.801 points to 11,429.68, FBMT100 declined 31.2 points to 11,273.25, the FBM Mid 70 Index fell 4.79 points to 12,434.46 but the FBM Ace Index rose 2.10 points to 4,265.47. Losers upstaged gainers by 352 to 274, while 315 counters were unchanged, 708 untraded and 23 others suspended. Volume was at 1.02 billion shares worth RM886.8 million. Among actives, Patimas Computers eased half a sen to 17.5 sen, Krisassets Holdings gained 18 sen to 24 sen, Alam Maritim Resources rose five sen to 90.5sen and Asian Pac Holdings was unchanged at 10.5 sen. Maybank fell one sen to RM9.03, Sime Darby shed eight sen to RM9.51, CIMB Group declined two sen to RM7.65 and Axiata Group was unchanged at RM6.68.