KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI stayed underwater over the early session as investors stayed to the sidelines ahead of the tabling of Budget 2026.
At the midday break, the benchmark index was down 5.63 points to 1,624.4 as traders take pause in the lead up to more clarity on the government's fiscal plans.
Declining issues outnumbered advancing 593 to 358 for a ratio of 1.66-to-1. Among the losing sectors, financial services fell 0.42% in profit-taking while utilities dropped 0.52% and construction shaved 0.66%.
On the blue-chip index, YTL Power lost eight sen to RM4.13, Gamuda dropped eight sen to RM5.32 and IHH lost four sen to RM7.63.
Meanwhile, Japan stocks slipped on the ongoing political turmoil as the country's ruling party attempts to regain public support via the appointment of a new leader. The Nikkei lost 0.25% to 47,830, just points off its intraday low.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng, meanwhile, was down over 1% to 26,669 as it reopened for business after the mid-Autumn festival holiday.
China's mainland markets remained closed for the national holiday, and will resume trading tomorrow.
