KUALA LUMPUR: The FBM KLCI remained slightly higher at midday despite the market registering a an overall negative result with many more decliners than gainers.

       At 12.30pm, the benchmark index was up 1.33 points to 1,608.62 after profit-taking erased most of the gains recorded earlier in the day.

       There were 685 laggards over the morning session compared with 296 gainers.

       Press Metal helped to shore up the market after climbing 21 sen to RM6.56.

       Plantations also led gains including Kuala Lumpur Kepong up 60 sen to RM27.30, IOI adding five sen to RM4.40 and Sime Darby Plantation rising nine sen to RM5.34.

       On the declining end, Petronas Chemicals fell four sen to RM10.26, IHH falling four sen to RM6.41 and Hong Leong Bank dippnig four sen to RM20.34.

       Among most actives, Vsolar fell 0.5 sen to one sen, Technax was unchanged at 9.5 sne and VC rose three sen to 16 sen.

       Meanwhile, major Asian market were in the red ahead of a raft of central bank meetings and US inlation data later this week.

       Japan's Nikkei dropped 0.8% and South Korea's Kospi fell 0.4%.

       China's Composite Index slumped 1.75% and Hong Kong's Hang Seng dove 2.45% amid the lockdown in China, which is expected to hamper production and economic growth.

       Australia's ASX200 was flat 90 minutes to the close.