Malaysian share prices closed down 0.8 percent on Wednesday due to weak investor sentiment amid declines on other regional markets, dealers said. Dealers said volume was thin with construction, finance and plantation stocks leading the decline. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index fell 6.96 points to close at 873.41. Turnover was 366.25 million shares valued at 485.46 million ringgit (135 million dollars) with decliners outpacing gainers 279 to 143.
"Weaker regional markets and the pullback in US equities eroded market sentiment and weighed on the broader market," a dealer told Dow Jones Newswires. The dealer said the bourse was expected to trade in the 860-880 point range Thursday. Among decliners, IOI Corp lost 3.2 percent to 3.68, Bumiputra-Commerce shed 3.2 percent to 6.00 and Gamuda eased 3.6 percent to 1.88. Public Bank fell 1.2 percent to 8.60 ringgit. On the upside, E & O added 9.2 percent to 65 sen while Tenaga gained 0.8 percent to 6.00.