Malaysian share prices closed 0.16 percent lower on extended selling on Friday after disappointing second-quarter economic data and concern over high oil prices, dealers said.
They said the most investors were also reluctant to take heavy positions ahead of the weekend while index heavyweight Telekom Malaysia led the declines after its poor results.
The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index closed down 1.47 points to 918.38. It traded in a range of 5.07 points, from 915.06 to 920.13.
Losers outnumbered gainers 397 to 257, with 360 stocks unchanged and 307 untraded. Volume was 376.85 million shares, worth 874.67 million ringgit (232 million dollars). The ringgit held steady at 3.77 to the US dollar and at 4.6371 to the euro.
"Continued bearish sentiment underlining the poor corporate results, lack of positive leads and a lower-than-expected second-quarter gross domestic product performance have led the market lower," a local brokerage dealer said.
Malaysia's second-quarter gross domestic product growth of 4.1 percent year-on-year, announced after the market closed on Wednesday, was below expectations.
The broker said that investors were staying away from the market due to expectations that the economy might be slowing down as a result of sharply higher oil prices. Weak corporate results added to the negative sentiment.
He said the 900 points level is at risk if Maybank's result, which is scheduled to be released after the market close today, comes in below expectations.
Among blue chips, Tenaga Nasional was up 0.10 ringgit at 11.10, while Telekom Malaysia lost 0.50 to 10.50 after announcing weaker second-quarter results.
Mobile phone operator Maxis was down 0.15 at 9.45, extending losses from yesterday after the company posted weaker results for the second quarter to June.
Trading in Maybank was suspended, with the stock last at 11.30 ringgit, after the banking group announced that it has won central bank approval to start talks on buying a stake in MNI Holdings Bhd.
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