Bursa malaysia: Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session on a lower note, diverging from regional trends due to selling pressure in index heavyweights, particularly in the financial services and utilities sectors.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) dipped by 0.98 of a point or 0.05 percent to 1,707.22, compared to the previous close of 1,708.20. The market barometer, which opened lower at 1,705.884, fluctuated between 1,704.03 and 1,711.66 throughout the session. Despite the decline, market breadth remained positive with 543 advancers surpassing 426 decliners. Additionally, 500 counters were unchanged, 1,170 were untraded, and 12 were suspended. Turnover reached 1.75 billion units, valued at RM1.41 billion.

Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd noted that the FBM KLCI might experience a pullback following Wall Street's negative closing. However, the elevated ringgit at the RM4.05 level could provide some support for the FBM KLCI, bolstered by sectors such as banking, consumer goods, and real estate investment trusts.

Among the heavyweight stocks, Maybank remained steady at RM11.06, while CIMB, Tenaga Nasional, and IHH Healthcare experienced declines. Public Bank saw a slight increase. On the active list, Capital A and Zetrix AI experienced gains, while MMAG and Ingenieur remained unchanged. In terms of top gainers, Petronas Dagangan, Hong Leong Financial, and Petronas Gas saw notable increases in their stock prices.

Conversely, among the decliners, Nestle, United Plantations, and Allianz were among those that experienced a drop in stock prices. The index board showed mixed movements, with the FBM Emas Index and FBM Top 100 Index recording gains, while the FBM Emas Shariah Index and FBM ACE Index saw slight declines. Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index expanded, while the Energy Index, Industrial Products and Services Index, and Plantation Index showed varied movements.