KUALA LUMPUR (April 22): The FBM KLCI remained in the negative zone at mid-morning today as profit taking persisted on select blue chips.

At 10.01am, the FBM KLCI was down 2.24 points to 1,860.56.

The top losers included Allianz (M) Bhd, PPB Group Bhd, KLCC Property Holdings Bhd, Genting Bhd, British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, AMMB Holdings Bhd, Ibraco Bhd and CIMB Group Holdings Bhd.

The actives included Frontken Corporation Bhd, Sanichi Technology Bhd, Privasia Technology Bhd, Bioalpha Holdings Bhd, Nova MSC Bhd and Wintoni Group Bhd.

The top gainers included Hong Leong Industries Bhd, Goh Ban Huat Bhd, Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd, Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd, Petronas Dagangan Bhd and Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd.

Japanese shares hit a new 15-year high on Wednesday on expectations of positive corporate earnings, while oil sagged after Saudi Arabia ended its military campaign in Yemen, easing tensions in the energy-rich Middle East, according to Reuters.

Japan's Nikkei rose 0.7 percent to a high not seen since April 2000. South Korea's Kospi gained 0.4 percent, while Australian shares slipped, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research said near term technical oscillators were supportive for the FBM KLCI to retest  second key resistance near 1878 following the 1858 breakout yesterday.

“Key risks ahead are potential impasse in Greece’s meeting with creditors on 23 Apr, FOMC meeting on 28-29 Apr, unexciting CY1Q15 reporting season in May (due to uncertainties ahead of GST) and potential Fitch rating downgrade during its next review in May/June (albeit somewhat factored in by investors),” it said.