KUALA LUMPUR (April 17): The FBM KLCI pared some of its losses at mid-morning today against the backdrop of firmer regional markets.

At 10am, the FBM KLCI was down 1.65 points to 1,877.22. The index had earlier slipped to a low of 1,873.09.

Gainers led losers by 322 to 213, while 290 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 678.46 million shares valued at RM317.98 million.

The top losers included Nestle (M) Bhd, S P Setia Bhd, Malpac Holdings Bhd, Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd, Sime Darby Plantation Bhd, UMW Holdings Bhd and Melati Ehsan Holdings Bhd.

The actives included Sapura Energy Bhd, AirAsia X Bhd, PUC Bhd, Sino Hua-An International Bhd, Priceworth International Bhd, UMW Oil & Gas Corp Bhd, NWP Holdings Bhd and Hubline Bhd.

The gainers included Petronas Dagangan Bhd, Petronas Gas Bhd, Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd, Press Metal Aluminium Holdings Bhd, Bursa Malaysia Bhd, Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd and Aeon Credit Service (M) Bhd.

Asia stocks edged higher on Tuesday, tracking Wall Street gains as the focus shifted to corporate earnings and looming economic data from China amid signs Western-led strikes on Syria weren't likely to escalate, according to Reuters.

The US dollar pulled back along with safe-haven US Treasuries as investor risk appetite improved in the broader markets, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research in a traders' brief said although there are several downside risk events (trade war and geopolitical risk) that are developing, the ongoing reporting season should be able to cushion out the downside risk over the near term as this is the first quarterly earnings after the corporate tax cuts move by President Trump.

"Meanwhile, in the local front, stocks are likely to stay sideways ahead of the GE14.

"Nevertheless, we saw month-to-date foreign inflow at RM764.3 million, which could be emerging amongst the oil and gas stocks after Brent crude oil prices surged above US$70," it said.