KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI pared gains from earlier in the session as the positive sentiment over recent dovish remarks by the Federal Reserve gave way to profit-taking.
The benchmark index entered the lunch break 2.3 points higher at 1,638.04, off an intramorning high of 1,643.95.
Investors remained cautious on small caps going by the negative market breadth of 481 decliners to 461 gainers.
The share volume was 1.72 billion changing hands for RM1.18bil.
Sectors across the broader market were mostly positive, with healthcare, plantations, technology and utilities being the exceptions.
Corporate Malaysia is in the final week of its second quarter results period, which will see a raft of earnings announcements from corporate heavyweights.
Among the leading banks, Maybank rose 10 sen to RM10.54, Public Bank dipped one sen to RM4.52 and CIMB slid six sen to RM 7.83.
Tenaga Nasional jumped 28 sen to RM14 while Sunway climbed 12 sen to RM4.14.
Of actives, Elridge rose 4.5 sen to 45 sen, Cape EMS gained 0.5 sen to 38.5 sen and Genetec slid five sen to RM1.14.
In regional markets, investors awaited leads at the tail end of the US corporate results period.
Japan's Nikkei fell 1.01% to 37,978, and China's composite index slipped 0.1% to 2,852.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.82% to 17,756 while Singapore's Straits Times shed 0.07% to 3,385.
