Malaysian share prices closed 0.17 percent lower Tuesday, slipping below the psychologically important 900-point level as investors kept to the sidelines ahead of key economic data, dealers said.
They said the overnight easing of prices on Wall Street further contributed to the sluggish trade. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index was down 1.51 points at 898.63.
Volume was 295.12 million shares, worth 627.56 million ringgit (265 million dollars) and losers outnumbered gainers 377 to 273. The ringgit was traded at 3.7798 to the US dollar.
Malaysia's third quarter gross domestic product figures are due Wednesday.
Dealers said investors were concerned that a strong growth number would increase the chance that interest rates would rise.
"Investors are in a dilemma. While they are hoping for a stronger gross domestic product growth figure, they know that a stronger growth will prompt the central bank to raise interest rates," a local brokerage dealer said.
Among blue chips, Tenaga Nasional and Telekom Malaysia were both down 0.05 ringgit, at 9.75 and 9.60, respectively, while Malayan Banking gained 0.10 to 11.40.
Proton Holdings was down 0.05 at 7.40 ringgit, extending its fall from yesterday in anticipation of weak second quarter to September results, due out later Tuesday, dealers said.