A sinkerless knitting machine with latch needles, comprising a needle holder (2) having on one face a plurality of slots (3), each slot accommodating a needle (5). Knitting retainers (8) are provided, each of which has a body composed of at least two side-by-side laminar elements (6a, 6b) connected to each other. At least two laminar elements (6a, 6b) of each knitting retainer (8) are arranged ina same slot (3) or in two contiguous slots (3) of the needle holder (2). At least one of the laminar elements (6a, 6b) that compose a knitting retainer (8) has a retention portion (26a, 26b) which defines a stop shoulder (7) for the knitting. Each knitting retainer (8) can move on command from a first position, in which it does not interfere with the knitting being formed, to a second position, in which it is inserted, with the retention portion (26a, 26b), between two contiguous needles (5), in a region which faces the knitting forming plane (4), in order to retain the portion of knitting that lies between two contiguous needles (5), contrasting the transfer of the knitting along the needles (5) during the extraction motion of the needles (5) from the needle holder (2) to unload onto their shank (5b) the previously formed loop of knitting and/or take up the yarn dispensed at a feed or drop of the machine.