The benchmark KLCI of Kuala Lumpur stock exchange at midday fell 3.82 points to 1,604.93 points, from Friday's close of 1,608.75 points.
Throughout the half-day session, the benchmark index fluctuated within a range of 5.51 points, from the low of 1,603.92 points to the high of 1,609.43 points.
This morning, the key index opened marginally lower at 1,608.66 points. As at 9:07am, the key index went up 0.54 of a point to reach 1,609.29 points. Owing to selling pressure, the index continued to decline and lost 3.33 points to 1,605.42 points as at 9:30am.
During the half-day session, the Technology Index at one point surged 1.55%. Main board's technology listing Vitrox Corporation Bhd at one point rallied more than 7.00% to RM4.09, rising 28 sen. Around midday, Vitrox retreated and traded at RM3.90 as at 12:19pm, losing just nine sen on a turnover of 2,513,900 shares/units
At midday, the Health Care Index recorded the biggest decline of all the exchange-maintained sector indices, retreating 1.50% to 2,298.65 points, followed by the Utilities Index which gave up 1.12% to 1,674.65 points.
As at 12:14pm, utilities firm YTL Corporation Bhd traded at RM2.14, after losing three sen and recording a volume of 4,214,700 shares/units. YTL Power International Bhd, also a utilities listing, traded at RM3.60 as at 12:15pm, losing nine sen on a turnover of 7,578,800 shares/units.
In today's listing transfer to the Ace market, Topvision Eye Specialist Bhd opened at RM0.39 per share, reflecting an 18.18% premium over its listing price of RM0.33. The price of Topvision's shares at one point surged to the high of RM0.40, nearly at par with the fair market valuation of RM0.42 derived by Rakuten earlier. Topvision's counter traded at RM0.355, up 2.5 sen as at 12:30pm on a turnover of 48,282,400 shares/units, and was also ranked the second most traded stock.