At 5pm, the benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased by 4.44 points to 1,469.55 from yesterday’s closing of 1,473.99. The market bellwether opened 1.14 points lower at 1,472.85.

Regionally, Singapore’s Straits Times Index eased 0.10% to 3,242.46 and Japan’s Nikkei 225 Index trimmed 1.45% to 25,716.86, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index jumped 3.22% to 20,793.11.

Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-president of equity research, Thong Pak Leng said despite the heightened volatility in regional markets, he believes bargain hunting will emerge due to cheap valuations and improving corporate earnings.

“As such, we see the benchmark index to trend within the 1,465-1,485 range for the remainder of the week,” he told Bernama.

Further details on the market movement today could not be disclosed at the time of writing as the local bourse operator said the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI is currently unavailable in the price feed.