KUALA LUMPUR (July 4): The FBM KLCI edged up slightly in early trade today, lifted by heavyweights Telekom Malaysia Bhd and Tenaga Nasional Bhd but gains were seen capped in line with the shaky regional markets.

At 9.05am, the FBM KLCI was up 2.93 points to 1,683.30.

The early gainers included Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, Telekom Malaysia Bhd, IHH Healthcare Bdh, Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd, Tan Chong Motor Holdings Bhd, Public Bank Bhd, Bermaz Auto Bhd and Tenaga Nasional Bhd.

Asian stocks were on shaky ground on Wednesday while the Chinese yuan stood near 11-month lows as the spectre of a Sino-U.S. trade war haunted investors ahead of an end-of-week deadline for U.S. tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Chinese imports, according to Reuters.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan edged up 0.1 percent in early trade, a day after it hit a nine-month low. Japan's Nikkei lost 0.5 percent, it said.

JF Apex Securities Research in a market preview said US markets declined overnight due to ongoing concerns of a trade war between the US and other major economies.

It said that earlier, European stocks rallied after German Chancellor Angela Merkel sealed a migration deal.

“On the local market, the FBM KLCI lost 4.68 points to 1680.37 points.

“Following the mixed performance in the US and Europe, the FBM KLCI could hover sideways below the resistance of 1700 points,” it said.