KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 1): The FBM KLCI extended its loss at the midday break today and dipped 0.22% as market breadth stayed negative.

At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI fell 3.88 points to 1,744.04.

Losers led gainers by 377 to 227, while 530 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 1.73 billion shares valued at RM1.1 billion.

The top losers included British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, Ajinomoto (M) Bhd, Perusahaan Sadur Timah Malaysia (Perstima) Bhd, Ekovest Bhd, Keck Seng (Malaysia) Bhd, Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd, Success Transformer Corp Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd and Lafarge Malaysia Bhd.

The actives included Ekovest, Hubline Bhd, Cuscapi Bhd, Sino Hua-An International Bhd, Malayan United Industries Bhd, UMW Oil & Gas Corp Bhd, JAG Bhd and Borneo Oil Bhd.

The gainers included Nestle (M) Bhd, PMB Technology Bhd, Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd, Batu Kawan Bhd, Suiwah Corp Bhd, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, Bintulu Port Holdings Bhd, icapital.biz Bhd and AirAsia Bhd.

Asian shares hit a 10-year high on Wednesday on the back of solid economic growth globally, while oil prices extended a bull run on hopes that major oil producers will maintain their output cuts, according to Reuters.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.6%, led by 1.1% gains in South Korea while Japan's Nikkei gained 1.4%, it said.

CIMB Retail Research said the key index failed to stage a follow-through post-budget rebound yesterday as foreign selling kicked in.

"We would remain bearish for the immediate term as long as the KLCI stay below 1,759. However, the market breath was marginally positive as the lower liners stocks continued to do well.

"Both FBM ACE and Small Cap index outperformed KLCI since Oct 10.

"Meanwhile, traders may want to continue to focus on oil and gas counters amid the strong crude oil prices. Resistance: 1,750 & 1,760. Support: 1,729 & 1,705," it said.