KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 4): The FBM KLCI eked out meagre gains at mid-morning today as losers outpaced gainers, in line with struggling regional markets.

At 10.02am, the FBM KLCI was up 0.04 points to 1,771.94. The index had earlier risen to a high of 1,774.12.

The top gainers included Unisem (M) Bhd, Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd, Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd, IJM Plantations Bhd, MISC Bhd, Public Bank Bhd, Hengyuan Refining Company Bhd, Khind Bhd and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd.

The actives included Anzo Holdings Bhd, AirAsia X Bhd, TRC Synergy Bhd, Borneo Oil Bhd, Luster Industries Bhd, Johan Holdings Bhd, mTouche Technology Bhd, Dagang NeXchange Bhd and Sterling Progress Bhd.

The decliners included Atlan Holdings Bhd, Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd, Petronas Dagangan Bhd, Aeon Credit Service (M) Bhd, British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, NPC Holdings Bhd, Allianz Malaysia Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd and Lafarge Malaysia Bhd.

Asian stocks struggled on Friday after a technology-led drop on Wall Street, while U.S. Treasury yields and the dollar remained under pressure on signs that probes into possible Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections are gathering pace, according to Reuters.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was marginally higher, with many investors reluctant to stake out fresh positions ahead of U.S. job data later in the global day, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research in a traders’ brief said that in the US, divergence has been spotted between the Dow and S&P500, which we think the Dow's upward trend might not be sustainable.

“Hence, profit taking activities may curtail the upside momentum over the near term. Also, investors may be monitoring the monthly payroll data for further clues on the health of the economy.

“Meanwhile, stocks on the local front may extend the sluggish trading tone without any fresh leads in the markets and the FBM KLCI is likely to trend sideways with the resistance set along 1,775-1780.

“However, traders could still focus on technology and ACE market stocks as they were traded actively over the past few days,” it said.