KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI turned negative as it headed into the lunch break, retracing all the headway made since the release of the Malaysia's economic growth report last week.
Traders extended their sale of the country's blue chips, taking the benchmark index 6.97 points lower to a one-week low of 1,715.32.
The broader market was also negative with 492 declining issues compared to 456 advancing. There were 2.11 billion shares changing hands for RM1.39bil.
Bursa Malaysia's plantations sector was the leading laggard, dropping 1.38%, as traders chased in from the recent rally.
Energy stocks dropped 0.43% while financials turned 0.26% lower, retracing the advances made follwing the release of last week's better-than-expected gross domestic product data.
The local technology sector, however, has found its footing, jumping 3.35% to a three-week high.
Amoing the actively traded stocks, factory automation firm Stratus Global more than doubled its listing price of 80 sen a share to RM2 at the end of the morning session, as the Main Market debutant saw active buying interest.
Meanwhile, regional markets turned positive after a slow starts. South Korea's Kospi gained 4.5% to 6,809. and Japan's Nikkei climbed 2.75% to 65,907.
The Shanghai Composite index was up 1.03% to 3,837 while the CSI 300 added 2.25% to 4,701 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng dipped 0.1% to 25,116.
