KUALA LUMPUR (July 19): The FBM KLCI clung on to its meagre gains at mid-morning today in line with the cautious regional markets.

At 10.01am, the FBM KLCI was up 1.48 points to 1,672.32.

The gainers included Nestle (M) Bhd, Heineken Malaysia Bhd, Panasonic Manufacturing Malaysia Bhd, British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, Public Bank Bhd, Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd, KESM Industries Bhd, Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Holdings Bhd and LPI Capital Bhd.

The actives included Vivocom Intl Holdings Bhd, Nexgram Holdings Bhd, Berjaya Corporation Bhd, Asia Media Group Bhd, Spring Gallery Bhd and Sumatec Resources Bhd.

The decliners included Bursa Malaysia Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd, Scientex Bhd, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, Muda Holdings Bhd, AMMB Holdings Bhd and IHH Healthcare Bhd.

Asian shares edged slightly lower in early Asian trade on Tuesday, as a downturn in crude oil curbed the enthusiasm from fresh record highs on Wall Street, according to Reuters.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan inched down 0.1%, though it was still within sight of a nine-month high touched last week. The Dow Jones industrial average and the S&P 500 both logged fresh record highs, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research said it still expects global markets to remain choppy as profit taking may emerge after recent sharp relief rallies.

The research house said key risks are geopolitical tensions (eg terrorist attack, tensions in South China Sea claims, Turkey's coup), slower-than-expected growth in global and Malaysian economies, aggressive Fed rate hike cycle and persistent slump in commodities prices.

"Riding high on better-than-expected US economic data and results coupled with hopes of additional stimulus from central banks and governments and expectations of more mega project roll-outs by Government in the near term, the FBM KLCI's near term outlook is still tilted to an upside bias towards 1,684 resistance levels," it said.