KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 13): The FBMKLCI opened marginally lower this morning after the long weekend holiday. 

At 9am, the FBMKLCI was down 5.44 points or 0.3% at 1,681 points. The benchmark index was closed yesterday for the Hari Raya Haji holiday. 

The early losers included United Plantations Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd. 

Among the early gainers were Paos Holdings Bhd and Public Bank Bhd. Top actives include TH Heavy Engineering Bhd. 

At the currency markets, the ringgit gained 0.98% against the US dollar to quote at 4.0922 as at 9.05am.

Reuters reported that Asian stocks rose early on Tuesday, boosted by Wall Street's overnight rally after Federal Reserve Board Governor Lael Brainard brought relief to risk asset markets by reducing prospects of a near-term interest rate hike.

The dollar, on the other hand, nursed losses against its peers after Brainard reiterated her dovish views, the report added. 

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.5 %.

JF Apex Research said in a research note that the US markets racked up their strongest gain in two months on Monday after the Federal Reserve Board Governor stuck to her dovish stance on interest rate.

"However, European stocks declined as investors failed to shake off concerns over a potential interest rate hike in September by the US Federal Reserve," it added. 

On the local market, the research outfit said the FBMKLCI slid 4.94 points to 1686.11 points last week, ahead of the long weekend.

"The FBM KLCI could remain pressured below the resistance of 1,705 points ahead of another long weekend," it said.