Malaysian share prices closed 0.6 percent higher on Tuesday, led by gains in selected blue chips and plantation stocks, dealers said. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index gained 6.09 points to 1,109.57. Volume was thin with 329.505 million shares worth 784 million ringgit (242 million dollars) traded.
"KLCI is likely to inch up," Lee Cheng Hooi from Aseambankers told Dow Jones Newswires. Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop has warned that the June inflation rate could hit seven percent after fuel prices were hiked by 41 percent last month. Among gainers palm oil giant KL Kepong was 1.5 percent higher at 13.70 ringgit, Sime Darby rose 3.3 percent 7.85 ringgit and Malaysia Airlines rose 2.5 percent to 3.34 ringgit.