KUALA LUMPUR: Bursa Malaysia remained wobbly headed into midday as broad-based selling took over the market amid weak regional sentiment and an uncertain economic outlook.

       The market has been caught in a consolidation channel amid a risk-off mood in equities as major developed countries worry over growing inflation, triggering a rise in bond yields.

       At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI was down 8.81 points to 1,529.88, exnteding the index's fall below the 50-day simple moving average.

       Twenty-two of the 30 index-linked blue chips were in the red while on the broader market, decliners beat gainers 635 to 248, signalling considerable negative sentiment.

       Among top laggards, Maxis was down six sen to RM4.63 and MISC shed seven sen to RM6.84.

       Bank stocks were mixed with CIMB falling six sen to RM4.72 while PUblic Bank shed two sen to RM4.05. Hong Leong Bank rose two sen to RM18.92 and Maybank was unchanged at RM8.05.

       Of actives, Sapura Energy was down 0.5 sen to 11 sen, KNM dropped 1.5 sen to 21.5 sen and Serba Dinamik shed one sen to 31 sen.

       Asian markets tracked Wall Street's weak performance overnight on rising Treasury yields.

       Japan's Nikkei fell 0.5% while South Korea's Kospi tumbled 1.5%.

       In China, the main index climbed 0.9% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng slid 0.4%. Australia's ASX200 dove 1.9%.