KUALA LUMPUR (April 11): The FBM KLCI remained in the negative zone at mid-morning today, weighed by select blue chips, in line with the tentative regional markets.

At 10.05am, the FBM KLCI as down 4.70 points to 1,713.70.

The top decliners included Prestariang Bhd, Apollo Holdings Bhd, Hong Leong Financial Group Bhd, Aeon Credit Services (M) Bhd, UMW Holdings Bhd, Hong Leong Bank Bhd, Malaysian Pacific Industries Bhd, Guinness Anchor Bhd, Pharmaniaga Holdings Bhd, Maxis Bhd and Genting Bhd.

Vivocom International Holdings Bhd, Pesona Metro Holdings Bhd, Borneo Oil Bhd, Frontken Corporation Bhd, Tiger Synergy Bhd and AirAsia X Bhd.

The gainers included Latitude Tree Holdings Bhd, Enra Group Bhd, Scientex Bhd, Bintulu Port Holdings Bhd, Amway (M) Holdings Bhd, Petron Malaysia Refining & Marketing Bhd, Petronas Gas Bhd and QL Resources Bhd.

Asian stocks got off to a tentative start on Monday as Japanese markets wobbled, while the dollar nursed losses after a week in which it slipped to fresh lows against its major counterparts, according to Reuters.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was a few ticks lower, after Wall Street ended with modest gains on Friday even as the S&P 500 still suffered its biggest weekly decline in two months, it said.

Hong Leong IB Research said in the coming week ahead, global market participants' attention will be shifted to US 1Q earning reports which begin this week.

It said that in this regard, the market is anticipating a third straight quarterly fall in earnings at S&P 500 companies.

He said that on the domestic front, traders will continue to stay cautiously over the volatility of oil prices and ringgit as well as concerns on global economic health.

"Technically, the recent high did not touch the upper-uptrend channel, suggesting a potential reversal of the uptrend channel. Coupled with MACD Dead Cross signal, falling RSI and Stochastics on daily chart, the FBM KLCI is likely to deviate from the uptrend railroad track in the coming week," it said.