KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's benchmark stock index declined in morning trade, extending the fall from the previous day, and at odds with the bullish performance in regional markets.

       At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI was down 2.83 points to 1,484.03 while the overall market breadth was negative with 480 decliners compared to 347 gainers.

       Trading volume was 2.41 billion shares exchanging hands for RM1.4bil.

       Leading the decline was Genting Malaysia, which slumped 13 sen to RM2.72, while parent Genting dropped 14 sen to RM4.73.

       Press Metal shaved eight sen to RM4.82 and PETRONAS Chemicals fell six sen to RM6.94.

       Hong Leong Bank was also lower by 12 sen to RM18.78 while other heavyweight banks edged slightly higher.

       Among leading actives, SMTrack shed 0.5 sen to five sen, Widad up 0.5 sen to 49.5 sen and Hong Seng gaining 0.5 sen to 2.5 sen.

       StarPicks

       Talentbank unveils Malaysia’s top employers to work for in 2024

       Meanwhile, Japan's stock exchange led Asian markets higher after its benchmark Nikkei jumped 1.8% to 35,065, its highest since February 1990.

       Asia's stock markets have turned optimistic ahead of the release of the US consumer price index report tonight, which will help determine the path of Federal Reserve decision-making.

       In China, the composite index was up 0.1% to 2,880 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 1.5% to 16,339.

       South Korea's Kospi rose 0.2% to 2,546.