KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI remained in negative territory as investors took profit in most of the market's counters after hitting the 1,600-point resistance in the previous session.

       At 12.30pm, the country's key index was down 8.84 points to 1,591.54 amid a negative market breadth of 533 decliners versus 356 gainers.

       There was a pullback across the market's sector including banks, which were slightly off recent highs as investors digested news of the RM1bil financial assistance provided to vulnerable B50 borrowers.

       Maybank was down two sen to RM8.27, Hong Leong Bank dipped six sen to RM18.76, CIMB lost eight sen to RM5.12 and Public Bank was unchanged at RM4.19.

       Plantation stocks also backed away as the crude palm oil price, which has been on a red-hot rally, eased 2.6% off its record high to RM5,120 per metric tonne.

       Sime Darby Plantation fell 13 sen to RM4.32, IOI dropped eight sen to RM4.01 and Kuala Lumpur Kepong slid 10 sen to RM22.68.

       In telcos, Axiata slid six sen to RM4.04, Digi shed nine sen to RM4.40 and Maxis fell four sen to RM4.71.

       Top active on Bursa Malaysia were Serba Dinamik down three sen to 38 sen, Lambo dropping 0.5 sen to seven sen and SCIB falling 4.5 sen to 45 sen.

       Meanwhile, regional markets regained some composure as commodity prices came off recent highs, although the ongoing energy crunch kept investors worried over rising inflation.

       Japan's Nikkei jumped 1.3% and South Korea's Kospi gained 1.1%.

       China's main index was up 0.15% while Hong Kong's stock exchange was closed for a National Day holiday.

       In Australia, the ASX200 was up 0.85%.