KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI remained slightly in the red at midday investor sentiment was impacted by recent earnings results from heavyweight companies.

       At 12.30pm, the key index was down 1.49 points to 1,541.53, dragged lower by banks, which said market conditions weighed on profits.

       Maybank was down two sen to RM8.96, Public Bank dropped one sen to RM4.58, CIMB fell three sen to RM5.02 and Hong Leong Bank dipped two sen to RM21.10.

       MISC meanwhile slid eight sen to RM7.13, Tenaga Nasional fell nine sen to RM9.16 and Press Metal shed eight sen to RM5.42.

       Top actives were Sapura Energy down 0.5 sen to eight sen, MNC rising 0.5 sen to two sen and Ta Win losing one sen to 10.5 sen.

       In Asian markets, equities were mixed on news that China was easing its lockdown restrictions although investors remained wary of rising inflation.

       Japan's Nikkei was down 0.1%, South Korea's Kospi rose 0.3% and China's composite index climbed 0.75%.

       Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.4% while Australia's ASX200 dropped 0.55%.