Bursa Malaysia opened slightly lower on Tuesday, with the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) slipping 0.81 points or 0.05% to 1,713.96 as investors remained cautious in early trade.
The index opened at 1,713.14 and moved between an early high of 1,713.98 and a low of 1,711.09 as at 9.21am.
The broader market was mixed, with several indices gaining despite the marginal decline in the main index. The FBM Small Cap Index rose 0.14% while the FBM ACE Index advanced 0.41%.
The FBM70 gained 0.03% while the FBM Shariah Index added 0.05%. However, the FBM100 slipped 0.03% and the FBM EMAS Index eased 0.02%.
Trading activity was led by Zetrix AI Bhd, which rose 0.025 sen to RM0.295 with 3.44 million shares changing hands.
GTA Bhd added 0.010 sen to RM0.360, while HHRG Bhd fell 0.015 sen to RM0.190. Kinergy Advancement Bhd was unchanged at RM0.400 and Cuscapi Bhd gained 0.010 sen to RM0.055.
Among the leading gainers, Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Bhd rose RM0.18 to RM12.94, while Heineken Malaysia Bhd added RM0.14 to RM14.82.
Telekom Malaysia Bhd climbed RM0.13 to RM8.03, ITMAX System Bhd gained RM0.09 to RM4.34 and Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd advanced RM0.08 to RM18.90.
On the losing side, Petronas Gas Bhd fell RM0.18 to RM17.52, while Hong Leong Industries Bhd and United Plantations Bhd each shed RM0.10 to RM17.30 and RM32.10 respectively.
Allianz Malaysia Bhd declined RM0.08 to RM21.30 and Hong Leong Bank Bhd eased RM0.08 to RM23.58.
Meanwhile, RHB Research maintained a short position on the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index Futures (FKLI), citing continued selling pressure around the 50-day simple moving average (SMA).
The research house said FKLI had closed marginally higher by one point at 1,687 points in the previous session, forming a bullish candlestick with a long upper shadow after trading between 1,680 and 1,694.50 points.
According to RHB Research, the latest price action suggests selling pressure remains strong at the 50-day SMA and the index could resume its correction towards the 1,640-point support level.
It said a breakout above the 1,700-point resistance could improve sentiment and pave the way towards 1,730 points.
RHB Research maintained its negative trading bias unless FKLI breaks above 1,730 points, with the short position initiated at 1,663.50 points and a stop-loss threshold at 1,730 points.
The next support levels are at 1,640 and 1,610 points, while resistance is seen at 1,700 and 1,730 points.
