Malaysian shares closed up 2.41 percent on Thursday led by gains in property, construction and plantation stocks, dealers said. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index gained 23.28 points to 990.74, with gainers outnumbering losers 535 to 131. Dealers said the market's sentiment also improved due to the overnight gains on Wall Street amid hopes that the worst may be over for the economy.
"The Federal Reserve's confirmation that the recession in the US is starting to ease, following the positive impact from its 1.5 trillion dollar stimulus package, helped to boost sentiment," a dealer told Dow Jones Newswires. Dealers expect the key index to trade between 980 and 1,050 points next week. Among gainers, SP Setia rose 12.00 percent to 3.54 ringgit while IGB Corp added 7.80 percent to 1.80.