KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 30); The FBM KLCI reversed its earlier losses and trended upward at mid-morning on Tuesday, lifted by gains at select blue chips.

At 10am, the index added 1.08 points to 1,847.42.

Gainers led losers by 239 to 209, while 293 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 724.54 million shares valued at RM346.77 million.

The top gainers included United Plantations, BAT, Dutch Lady, Mega First Corp, Aeon Credit, UMW, Hong Leong Bank, Press Metal and Shell.

MUI Industries was teh most actively traded counter with 84.02 million shares done. The stock fell half a sen to 32 sen.

The other actives included Asia Bio, Berjaya Corp, Sumatec, PDZ, Takaso, DVM and Green Packet.

The losers included CIMB, Narra, HLFG, MAHB, Timecom, NCB, PPB, Genting Plantations, Sunway and Maxis.

Regionally, Asian markets were in hesitant mood on Tuesday as investors wondered what China's response would be to civil unrest in Hong Kong, while the U.S. dollar was on track to post its biggest monthly gain in well over a year, according to Reuters.

Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters blocked Hong Kong streets in the early hours on Tuesday, in one of the biggest political challenges to Beijing since the Tiananmen Square crackdown 25 years ago, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research said that after correcting 3.5% from all time high of 1896 to a low of 1829 on 26 Sep, the FBM KLCI had staged a 0.9% technical rebound to end at 1846 yesterday.

“The rebound looks sustainable following the formations of three Hammers on 18/23/26 Sep, supported by bottoming out oscillators and expectations of the 3Q14 window dressing.

“Weekly key resistances are 1852-1860 whilst supports fall on 1833-1840 levels,” it said.