The benchmark FBM KLCI halted around noon after some active trading in the morning
At 12.30pm, the key index was up 0.33 points to 1,411.87, with investors anticipating the release of some big corporate earnings over the course of the day.
Regional market sentiment has been soft owing to the lack of progress on U.S. debt ceiling negotiations, while investors fled to safe havens amid the risk of an economic slowdown.
Active counters include, Maybank losing four sen to RM8.57 ahead of the release of its quarterly earnings result, while CIMB dropped 4 sen to RM4.97. Sime Darby Plantation shed one sen to RM4.47, while Kuala Lumpur Kepong gained 10 sen ahead of its own announcement.
Hextar Technologies bounced back strongly by 46 sen to RM24.96, after having lost as much as 50 sen earlier in the day, while MPI gained 20 sen to RM25.48 and Inari Amertron rose 12 sen to RM2.27.
Other actives stocks include Sapura Energy being unchanged at 3.5 sen, Bahvest rose three sen to 19 sen and Tanco gained 0.5 sen to 55 sen.
