KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 — Share prices on Bursa Malaysia closed lower, with the market extending its downtrend to the fourth consecutive day,  with sentiments bearish on concerns of European banks may have more exposure to risky government debts, dealers said.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (FBM KLCI) lost 0.13 of a point to 1,434.14, after opening 1.29 points lower at 1,432.98.

Regional market sentiments were sluggish amid renewed fears of Europe’s debt crisis. Wall Street and European bourses faced similar pressures.

However, rotational buying interest for selected shares helped to narrow overall losses.

Plantation shares, however, bucked the trend following brokerage firms’ upgrade of the sector.

The Finance Index eased 24.16 points to 12,983.67 while the Industrial Index shed 9.94 points to 2,748.94.

The Plantation Index, however, perked 61.85 points to 6,721.63 

The FBM Emas shed 11.11 points to 9,557.43, the FBM 70 Index slipped 52.62 points to 9,278.3 and the FBM Ace Index lost 2.07 points to 3,777.74.

Turnover dwindled to 607 million shares worth RM1.038 billion from 641.938 million shares worth RM1.172 billion yesterday.

Decliners outnumbered advancers by 409 to 263 while 281 counters were unchanged, 403 untraded and 30 others suspended.

Among actives, Carotech lost half sen to eight sen, Nextnation Communication earned half sen to six sen, KNM Group gained one sen to 40.5 sen and Linear Corp rose eight sen to 23.5 sen.

Heavyweights, Maybank shed one sen to RM8.41, CIMB eased five sen to RM7.95, Genting rose six sen to RM9.38 and AMMB slipped 10 sen to RM5.83.

Among plantation counters, Genting Plantations surged 33 sen to RM7.83, PPB Group advanced eight sen to RM16.78 and IOI Corporation advanced 11 sen to RM5.45.

Bina Puri Holdings Bhd shares also gained on news that it would team up with Medini Land Sdn Bhd, a unit of Iskandar Investment Bhd, to develop a project in Iskandar Malaysia with a gross development value of RM500 million.

Bina Puri closed at RM1.19, with the counter gaining six sen.

The Main Market volume dwindled to 479.228 million shares worth RM1.018 billion from  553.911 million shares worth RM1.155 billion yesterday.

Warrants fell to 32.39 million units valued at RM4.712 million from 32.792 million units worth RM4.678 million yesterday.

Turnover on the ACE market surged to 92.97 million shares worth RM12.29 million from 49.421 million shares totalling RM7.597 million yesterday.

Consumer products accounted for 39.6 million shares traded on the Main Market; industrial products 127.6 million; construction 34.8 million; trade and services 144.5 million; technology 21.3 million; infrastructure 17.7 million; finance 36.5 million; hotels 788,800; properties 34.3 million; plantations 20 million; mining 22,000; REITs 1.9 million; and closed/fund 33,100. — Bernama