KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI deepened its fall headed into midday as a broad range of counters retreated amid the ongoing weak sentiment on the market

       At 12.30pm, the key index was down 13.38 points to 1,522.03 as investors took money out of stocks ahead of this Friday's 3Q GDP result.

       Twenty-six of the 30 index-linked counters were in the red and four unchanged.

       Bank stocks fell back with CIMB dropping seven sen to RM5, Maybank losing two sen to RM7.99, Public Bank sliding two sen to RM4.02 and Hong Leong Bank dipping two sen to RM18.02.

       Digi fell nine sen to RM4.21, Maxis lost five sen to RM4.61 and Axiata shed four sen to RM3.83.

       In plantations, IOI dropped 12 sen to RM3.79 while Sime Darby Plantation was unchanged.

       On the broader market, there were 477 decliners versus 199 gainers. Top actives were Eduspec down 0.5 sen to 1.5 sen, MMAG up 0.5 sen to 10 sen and KNM falling 0.5 sen to 21 sen.

       Asian markets turned sour after a promising start earlier in the day as investors cashed out on uncertainty over the near-term outlook.

       Japan's Nikkei lost 0.6% and South Korea's Kospi dropped 0.25%.

       China's composite index was flat wile Hong Kong's Hang Seng was down 0.1%.

       Australia's ASX200 was down 0.1%.