KUALA LUMPUR (March 20): Bursa Malaysia ended the morning trading session lower amid weaker market sentiment on Monday (March 20). 

 At lunch break, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI had fallen 6.70 points, or 0.47%, to 1,405.03, from last Friday's close at 1,411.73. 

The market bellwether opened 3.55 points easier at 1,408.18, and subsequently moved between 1,400.49 and 1,408.52 throughout the morning session. 

Market breadth was negative, with losers trouncing gainers 555 to 251, while 318 counters were unchanged, 1,138 untraded, and 16 others suspended.

Turnover amounted to 1.92 billion units worth RM898.62 million. 

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said in view of the volatile US market last week, investors would remain wary. He expects the key index to trend within a tight range between 1,405 and 1,415, until there is more clarity from the March 21-22 US Federal Open Market Committee meeting, the second for this year.

Meanwhile, Bursa heavyweights IHH Healthcare Bhd rose five sen to RM5.87 a share, and CelcomDigi Bhd advanced nine sen to RM4.14.

Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) at RM8.38 and Public Bank Bhd at RM3.97 were both flat. Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd dipped 27 sen to RM6.96, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd eased three sen to RM5.19, and Tenaga Nasional Bhd fell four sen to RM9.51.

Among the actives, Green Packet Bhd grew half a sen to 5.5 sen, Jade Marvel Group Bhd gained one sen to 31 sen, Sapura Energy Bhd was flat at 4.5 sen, Top Glove Corp Bhd shed one sen to 90.5 sen, and Minda Global Bhd slipped half a sen to 14 sen. 

On the index board, the FBM Emas Index gave up 49.47 points to 10,286.93, the FBM 70 Index trimmed 55.53 points to 13,309.12, the FBMT 100 Index dwindled 46.32 points to 9,982.56, the FBM Emas Shariah Index was 54.62 points easier to 10,612.62, and the FBM ACE Index slid 2.76 points to 5,246.18.

Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index was down by 37.87 points to 15,501.84, the Energy Index decreased 18.43 points to 804.43, the Plantation Index narrowed 79.96 points to 6,792.36, and the Industrial Products and Services Index weakened 2.40 points to 167.65.