This was due to a slump in crude oil prices and investors turning cautious ahead of a US presidential debate today, said a report in the Nikkei Asian Review (NAR).

The benchmark FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI slipped 0.1 per cent to 1,669.50 points Monday. The index rose 1.1 per cent last week.

The ringgit declined 0.4 per cent to 4.126 against the dollar Monday.

Crude oil prices slumped almost 4 per cent Friday. However, prices stabilised a tad Monday, with the benchmark Brent crude oil contract rising 0.6 per cent to USD46.17 per barrel, according to the NAR report.

On the KLCI, 14 of the 30 constituents ended lower Monday and four closed unchanged, while overall declining issues outnumbered advancing ones 484 to 324.

Genting Malaysia fell 2.6 per cent to RM4.51, leading losses on the KLCI. The leisure and hospitality major had risen about 6 per cent last week.

Oil and gas services major SapuraKencana slid 2.6 per cent to RM1.53, weighed down by the slide in crude oil prices.

Sime Darby ended 1.5 per cent lower at RM7.78 Monday. Axiata Group fell 2.5 per cent to RM5.37 while rivals Maxis slipped 1 per cent to RM6.14 and DiGi.Com ended 0.8 per cent lower at RM5.

Hong Leong Bank rose 2.2 per cent to RM12.98, making it the biggest gainer on the KLCI Monday, said the NAR report.

Other lenders CIMB Group Holdings and Public Bank advanced 1.9 per cent to RM4.80 and 1.2 per cent to RM19.98.

Malayan Banking, the nation’s largest lender, ended 0.3 per cent higher at RM7.69, while AMMB Holdings advanced 0.5 per cent to RM4.20.