Commodity prices fell sharply with metals down more than 2% and oil more than 1% weaker, breaking last week's positive momentum as the US rebounded off a one-year low, according to Reuters. Light crude oil fell 74 cents to US$68.55 and crude palm oil futures lost RM40 to RM2,092.

At Bursa Malaysia, the 30-stock FBM KLCI was just up 0.33 point to 1,208.61. Turnover was 252.84 million shares valued at RM358.37 million. The broader market was weaker with more than three losers to one gainer, with 391 decliners and 116 advancers.

Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 2.13% to 10,222.24, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index 0.94% lower at 20,962.46, Singapore Straits Times Index fell 0.8% at 2,659.24 but Shanghai's Composite Index rose 0.25% to 2,997.32.

At Bursa Malaysia, BAT fell 20 sen to RM45.80. AmResearch maintains it view the tobacco industry was unlikely to get a reprieve from a hike in excise duty this year when the Budget 2010 proposals are tabled in Parliament on Oct 23.

DiGi and KFCH lost 10 sen each to RM21.30 and RM7.40 while MISC-F and Hartalega lost nine sen each to RM8.70 and RM5.17 while Bursa shed eight sen to RM7.80.

KNM was the most active with 18.4 million shares done, down one sen to 71 sen.

AirAsia fell two sen to RM1.40 after 50 million of its shares were transacted in an off-market deal at RM1.49 each earlier.

Genting managed to arrest its decline and it was only down two sen to RM6.80 while Genting Malaysia lost four sen to RM2.84. Astro rose two sen to RM3.51 after falling to a low of RM3.45.

CIMB was the top gainer, adding 24 sen to RM11.18 with 5.29 million shares done.

MAHB rose 18 sen to RM3.62, the highest since mid-May after 5% of its shares was placed out to institutional buyers on behalf of major shareholder Khazanah last week.