KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI slipped at midday as banking and Petronas-linked stocks dragged, in line with the performance in other key regional markets.

       At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI declined 1.6 points, or 0.1% to 1,538.29.

       Losers led gainers by 377 to 339, while 432 counters traded unchanged. Trading volume was 1.28 billion shares valued at RM927.38mil.

       Rakuten Trade said on the home front, the FBM KLCI continued with its uptrend buoyed by window dressing activities to end up on a 2- month high.

       “Though we expect ongoing bargain hunting to continue, sentiments may turn lukewarm ahead of a more volatile regional performance.

       “As such, we expect the index to trend around the 1,535-1,545 range today,” it said.

       Rakuten said crude oil prices remained high with the Brent currently trading near the US$80 per barrel.

       Mercury Securities thinks Malaysian stocks will trade sideways this week as it expects volume to be light in the final week of the year

       Among KLCI component stocks, Petronas Dagangan shed 26 sen to RM20.12, Petronas Gas lost 14 sen to RM17.36, Genting fell five sen to RM4.68, CIMB lost four sen to RM5.38 and Tenaga declined two sen to RM9.33.

       Maybank, Public Bank and RHB Bank eased one sen each to RM8.29, RM4.17 and RM5.33 respectively.

       Hartalega added one sen to RM5.66, IHH Healthcare rose two sen to RM6.78 and Top Glove advanced five sen to RM2.42.

       Meanwhile, Genetec jumped 64 sen to RM38.64, MPI gained 54 sen to RM50.34 and Sam Engineering rose 46 sen to RM22.26.