KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 27): The FBM KLCI notched up limited gains at the midday break on Monday as external factors weighed on investor sentiment.

At 12.30pm, the FBM KLCI gained 4.97 points to 1,823.37.

Gainers led losers by 487 to 211, while 255 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 1.14 billion shares valued at RM733.17 million.

The top gainers included BAT, KLK, Batu Kawan, United Plantations, Pansonic, Press Metal, Lysaght, MAHB, NCB, KLCC, Felda Global and HLFG.

The actives included Sona Petroleum, PDZ, Sumatec, IFCA MSC, KTB, MUI Industries, Iris Corp, Century Software and Flonic.

The decliners included Tasek, Petronas Gas, Genting Plantations, LPI Capital, Ibraco, Sime Darby, Axis REIT, UMW and Lafarge Malaysia.

Regionally, shares of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd and China-listed brokerages fell on Monday on concerns that a landmark plan to connect the Hong Kong and Shanghai stock exchanges has been delayed, according to Reuters.

The stock trading agreement between Hong Kong and Shanghai -- hailed as a milestone to open up China's markets to global investors - will not be launched this week as initially expected, Hong Kong stock exchange chief executive Charles Li said on Sunday, it said.

BIMB Securities Research said that in Asia, key indices ended mostly in negative last Friday after preliminary Chinese manufacturing data showed output rising at a faster pace but demand growth slowing.

Nonetheless, it said the Nikkei rose sharply on Friday as the dollar regained some strength against the yen and recent global volatility eased.

BIMM Securities said the local market ended higher despite negative performance over the region as the FBM KLCI gained 0.45% to 1,818.86 with strong buying from plantation counters.

“We expect the local market to remain sidelined due to lack of fresh catalysts with immediate resistance at 1,820/25 while at 1,815/10,” it said.