Malaysian shares closed 0.3 percent lower on Tuesday amid lacklustre trade, dealers said. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index lost 2.27 points to close at 871.16 with a volume of volume of 309.8 million shares worth 327.22 million ringgit (93.9 million dollars). Decliners outpaced gainers 308 to 172 with 187 unchanged.
"Liquidity is becoming an issue as volume continues to shrink ahead of the year-end holidays," a dealer told Dow Jones Newswires. "Selling pressure from retail players and foreign funds is likely to cap gains in the near term," he added.
Among decliners, KL Kepong fell 2.2 percent to 8.75 ringgit while plantation giant IOI Corp dropped 2.8 percent to 3.54 ringgit. On the upside, national power company Tenaga rose 1.7 percent to 6.0 ringgit as Petronas Gas inched up 0.5 percent to 9.80 ringgit and Berjaya Sports Toto increased 3.1 percent to 4.70 ringgit.