At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI was down 10.35 points or 0.83% to 1,238.7. Turnover was 459.21 million shares valued at RM596.91 million. Decliners beat advancers 448 to 131 while 207 stocks were unchanged.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 2.4% to 21,235.88; Japan's Nikkei 225 skidded 1.98% to 9,875.24, Shanghai's Composite Index 2.10% to 2,967.52 while Singapore's Straits Times Index gave up 0.7% to 2,630.12.

Light crude oil gave up 26 cents to US$77.20 while crude palm oil futures fell RM11 to RM2,141. US spot gold rose US$3.20 or 0.31% to US$1,031.3.

Banks fell the most with HLFG  skidding 18 sen to RM6.02, HL Bank 15c to RM7.44 while CIMB shed 14c to RM12.30 and Maybank 12 sen to RM6.63.

Among plantations, KL Kepong lost 22 sen to RM14.90, UMCCA  18 sen to RM7.95 while Sime Darby shed 10c to RM8.89and IOI Corp also 10c to RM5.33.

KNM was the most active, down two sen to 77.5 sen with 25.7 million shares done.

Smaller auto parts manufacturers saw active trade after the revised national automotive policy was announced.

New Hoong Fatt added 11 sen to RM1.98, Tracoma 8.5 sen higher to 37.5 sen but Ingress shed five sen to 78 sen and EPMB two sen lower to 54 sen.

DiGi was the top gainer, adding 26 sen to RM21.76. Hai-O and CN Asia, both of which are involved in direct selling of consumer goods, rose. Hai-O gained 23 sen to RM7.57 and CN Asia 11.5 sen to 63.5 sen.