China stocks, which plunged on Aug 31, staged a mild recovery, aided by two surveys that its purchasing managers' indices rose to a 16-month high as companies continued to benefit from the government's 4 trillion yuan (US$585 billion) spending programme.

At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI was down 4.59 points to 1,169.69. Turnover was 232.57 million shares done valued at RM426.14 million. Declining stocks beat advancers by 442 to 105 and 162 stocks were unchanged.

Shanghai's Composite Index rose 0.45% to 2,679.84, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index added 0.6% to 19,840.27, Singapore's Straits Times Index 0.93% higher to 2,617.04 and the Nikkei 225 inched up 0.23% to 10,516.15.

Light crude oil rose 23 cents to US$70.19 while crude palm oil futures fell RM61 to RM2,309.

MAS fell the most since Aug 23, down 14 sen to RM3.01 and it was the fourth worst performer in Bursa. BAT fell the most, down 88 sen to RM45.02 while United Plantations lost 28 sen to RM13 and PPB 16 sen lower to RM15.22.

IJM and Subur Tiasa 14 sen lower at RM5.84 and RM2.06 while Tong Herr gave up 13 sen to RM1.86.

KNM was the most active with 12.2 million shares done, rising one sen to 76 sen. Genting lost eght sen to RM6.60.

BCHB rose 23 sen to RM10.18 in active trade, after falling last Friday. Tanjong added 18 sen to RM15.50, DiGi 10 sen to RM21.70 and PacMas nine sen to RM3.75 while Apollo inched up seven sen to RM2.74.