KUALA LUMPUR (April 15): The FBM KLCI traded subdued at mid-morning today in line with the regional markets.

At 10.01am, the FBM KLCI was up 2.78 points to 1,726.56.

The gainers included Kuala Lumpur Kepong Bhd, British American Tobacco (M) Bhd, PPB Group Bhd, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd, SAM Engineering & Equipments Bhd, Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Carlsberg Brewery (M) Holdings Bhd, Power Root Bhd and RHB Capital Bhd.

The actives included EKA Noodles Bhd, Vivocom International Holdings Bhd, Sumatec Resources Bhd, Tiger Synergy Bhd, DBE Gurney Bhd, AirAsia X Bhd and Yong Tai Bhd.

The top losers included Genting Bhd, Lafarge Malaysia Bhd, Scientex Bhd, Negri Sembilan Oil Palms Bhd, Petronas Dagangan Bhd, Apex Healthcare Bhd and MISC Bhd.

Asian stocks were off to a subdued start on Friday as caution towards a weekend meeting of oil producers tempered risk sentiment, while the dollar's advance slowed in wake of soft U.S. inflation data, according to Reuters.

Japan's Nikkei shed 0.5 percent, while Australian shared edged up 0.2 percent, it said.

JF Apex Securities Research said US markets registered small gains overnight as financial stocks climbed for the fifth day after banks posted encouraging earnings.

It said that similarly, European stocks ended slightly higher as cautious investors await the outcome from oil producers' meeting in Doha this weekend as well as Bank of England's interest rate decision and monetary policy announcement later today.

“On the local market, the FBM KLCI extended its sideways trend after adding 0.67 points to 1723.78 points. Following the neutral performance in the US and Europe, the FBM KLCI could remain flat below its resistance of 1727 points.

“Today's market direction could be influenced by China's GDP announcement,” it said.