KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 16): The FBM KLCI dipped 0.34% at mid-morning today, despite firmer regional markets, as losses at Petronas-linked stocks and Tenaga Nasional Bhd dragged.

At 10am, the FBM KLCI fell 5.32 points to 1,565.84.

Losers led gainers by 280 to 225, while 312 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 620.61 million shares valued at RM364.22 million.

The top losers included Nestle (M) Bhd, Petronas Gas Bhd, Hong Leong Bank Bhd, Manulife Holdings Bhd, G3 Global Bhd, Tenaga, HeiTech Padu Bhd and Petronas Dagangan Bhd.

The actives included Ekovest Bhd, Tiger Synergy Bhd, Iskandar Waterfront City Bhd, TDM Bhd, WCE Holdings Bhd, Sapura Energy Bhd and DGB Asia Bhd.

The gainers included Dutch Lady Milk Industries Bhd, Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd, Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Bhd, Hong Leong Industries Bhd, Ajinomoto (M) Bhd, QL Resources Bhd, PPB Group Bhd and Allianz Malaysia Bhd.

Reuters said Asian shares ticked higher on Monday as investors cheered an announced trade agreement between Beijing and Washington over the weekend although jubilation was capped by prevailing scepticism about the deal.

US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Sunday said a deal was "totally done", notwithstanding some needed revisions, and would nearly double US exports to China over the next two years, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research said in the US, with the completion of the phase one trade deal (awaiting the sign off from President Donald Trump), investors may stay in the positive course for the near term.

"Nevertheless, market participants will be looking out for next phase of trade negotiations, where President Trump commented that US will begin the discussions on the next phase of the trade deal 'immediately', rather than waiting until after the 2020 US election.

"We believe the positive phase one trade deal would provide feel-good sentiment on broader market, at least for the near term.

"Also, with the window dressing activities, we expect the FBM KLCI to trade higher in the upcoming two weeks, given the high success rate (9 out of 10 times) of positive returns in the month of December over the past 10 years. The FBM KLCI could retest 1,580-1,600," it said.