KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI fell as much as four points in intra-morning trade although it managed to halve losses by midday break.
At 12.30pm, the local index was 2.03 points lower at 1,640.70. Trading was slow in the morning session with a total of 950.36 million shares exchanging hands for a value of RM616.91mil.
Asian markets grew weaker over Thursday trade as the recession fears mounted on falling 10-year US Treasury yields.
In Greater China, the Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.25% although the CSI300 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng were marginally higher.
Japan's Nikkei fell 1.3% while South Korea's Kospi slid 0.5%.
On Bursa Malaysia, positive price action was led by consumer stocks Nestle rising RM2 to RM147, Panasonic gaining 98 sen to RM38.48 and BAT adding 34 sen to RM35.34.
Leading decliners were Petronas Dagangan falling 16 sen to RM24.82, Rapid losing 10 sen to RM5.60 and Hengyuan dipping 10 sen to RM5.80.
Most active counters were Sapura Energy
losing 0.5 sen to 32.5 sen, MyEG slipping one sen to RM1.38 and Destini adding one sen to 31 sen.
Oil prices extended losses for a second straight session as US investories showed an unexpected increase. US crude fell 17 cents to US$59.24 a barrel and Brent crude dipped 10 cents to US$67.73 a barrel.
The ringgit was 0.1% weaker against a strengthening greenback at 4.0770. It was flat against the pound sterling at 5.3783 and marginally higher over the Singapore dollar at 3.0089.
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