KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 6): The FBM KLCI fell 0.53% at mid-morning today as key blue chips including Tenaga Nasional and IJM-linked stocks retreated.

At 10.01am, the FBM KLCI fell 9.06 points to 1,716.50.

The top losers included Petronas Dagangan  Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, Lafarge Malaysia Bhd, Sarawak Oil Palms Bhd, DiGi.Com Bhd, DanaInfra Nasional Bhd, IJM Plantations Bhd, Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, IJM Corporation Bhd and VS Industry Bhd.

The actives included The Media Shoppe Bhd, APFT Bhd, China Automobile Parts Holdings Bhd, IFCA MSC Bhd, AirAsia X Bhd, Frontken Corporation Bhd and Sunway Construction Group Bhd.

The gainers included Amway Holdings (M) Bhd, Petronas Gas Bhd, Scientex Bhd, Cocoaland Holdings Bhd, Guinness Anchor Bhd, Hong Leong Bank Bhd, C.I. Holdings Bhd, MISC Bhd and Pos Malaysia Bhd.

Asian shares mostly rose while the dollar held firm on Thursday after strong service-sector data and comments from a Fed policymaker boosted optimism about the US economy and fanned expectations of a US rate hike in September, according to Reuters.

Japan's Nikkei rose 0.9% while South Korea's Kospi gained 0.3%, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research said that for a resumption of uptrend, the FBM KLCI must reclaim above immediate overhead resistance of 1,738 (2 July high) in expanding volume.

“Failure to do so will suggest that a prolonged consolidation is imminent, driven by lack of fresh catalysts and investors’ confidence amid lingering local concerns and external risks (tapering global growth and bearish commodities prices),” it said.