Malaysian share prices closed 0.74 percent lower on Thursday in lackluster trade led by a slump in Sime Darby shares, dealers said. The Kuala Lumpur Composite Index was down 6.81 points at 912.62 on volume of 520.81 million shares, worth some 1.11 billion ringgit (292 million dollars). Losers led gainers 480 to 253. "The market was dragged down by Sime Darby on concerns that it may have to make 400 million ringgit in provisions," said a dealer at a local brokerage.

Sime Darby was down 0.30 ringgit at 5.90 ringgit on worries that its 400 million ringgit provision set aside for its Bakun project and some operations in China would hurt earnings for the fiscal year to June 2005. Tenaga Nasional was flat at 10.60 ringgit, Telekom Malaysia was down 0.20 ringgit at 10.70, while Malayan Banking was flat at 12.40.

KLCC Property Holdings was up 0.05 ringgit at 2.11 on a net asset value play and on its cash flow from rental income.

CBS Technology was up 0.005 ringgit at 0.375 after reporting 2004 results that were in line with market expectations.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2005