KUALA LUMPUR: The positive sentiment over China's stimulus measures was lost on Bursa Malaysia on Thursday, despite the regional rally that saw key markets picking up gains.
Entering the midday break, the benchmark FBM KLCI was down 4.99 points to 1,668.39, with sharp losses in utility and plantations counters.
Over the duration of the early session, the index traded within a six-point band of 1,666.93 to 1,672.6.
Among the blue chips, YTL Power fell 11 sen to RM3.78 while YTL Corp shed 12 sen to RM2.54 and Tenaga Nasional slid two sen to RM15.
PPB shaved eight sen to RM14.64 and SD Guthrie slipped nine sen to RM4.79.
On the broader market, the local market's losses were underpinned by 554 decliners compared to 350 gainers. The share turnover was 1.66 billion valued at RM1.17bil.
The market sectors fell in unison, with the exception of gains in healthcare, and transport and logistics.
Of actives, MYEG was down 1.5 sen to 88.5 sen, Artroniq rose two sen to 10 sen and Sarawak Cable gained three sen to 13.5 sen.
Meanwhile, Asia's leading stock indices charged higher on optimism China's latest stimulus measures will prop up the ailing economy.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng jumped 2.32% to 19,572 while Shanghai's composite index added 0.64% to 2,914.
Japan's Nikkei climbed 2.43% to 38,789 and Singapore's Straits Times index added 0.44% to 3,599.
