KUALA LUMPUR (May 7): The FBM KLCI continued to be in the red in afternoon trading as investors remained jittery ahead of the general election on Wednesday.

At 3.30pm, the benchmark index was down 11.64 points or 0.63% at 1,830.19.

On the broader market, decliners outstripped gainers by 747 to 155, while 324 counters traded unchanged.

Total volume stood at 1.41 billion shares valued at RM1.19 billion.

Frank Lin, a dealer's representative at Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd, said the downtrend started last week and continued today despite the US market's Dow Jones index closing "really strong" last Friday.

"Normally, the positive spillover should happen today. However, due to the election effect, investors are jittery (while awaiting) the outcome of the election" he told theedgemarkets.com.

But he said the market has not panicked as the KLCI remains above the 1,800 level.

Fund managers are still seen to be holding onto blue chips, he added.

Among heavyweights, Telekom Malaysia Bhd was down 13 sen or 2.52% to RM5.03, while YTL Corp Bhd fell three sen or 2.22% to RM1.32, at 3.23pm.

Elsewhere in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped 0.03%, while South Korea's Kospi fell 1.04%.