KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed almost flat on Tuesday as buying interest rotated away from index heavyweights towards smaller-cap construction stocks, with sentiment affected by geopolitical uncertainty, said an analyst. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.39 of a point to 1,714.40 from Monday’s close of 1,714.79. The benchmark index opened 1.65 points lower at 1,713.14 and moved between 1,710.44 and 1,714.50 throughout the trading session. The broader market was almost evenly balanced, with decliners leading gainers 548 to 546, while 598 counters were unchanged, 1,107 were untraded and 25 were suspended. Turnover expanded to 4.13 billion units valued at RM3.14 billion from 3.60 billion units valued at RM2.45 billion on Monday.
Bestore Co., a premium Chinese snack company, is selling a 21% stake to a local government-owned firm after cutting prices by 45% to stay competitive — a move that reflects the growing toll of China’s deflationary squeeze on private businesses.
What Happened:
Ningbo Hanyi Venture Capital, Bestore’s largest shareholder (>35%), and another investor will transfer 21% of shares to a government entity.
The deal is worth 1.05 billion yuan (RM620.67 million).
Once completed, the local government will become Bestore’s largest shareholder.
Why It Matters:
Bestore, known for dried fruits and puffed snacks, was the first premium snack retailer to list in Shanghai (2020).
Revenue has declined since 2022, with expected 1H 2025 losses exceeding 75 million yuan.
A price war has ravaged China’s F&B sector, forcing brands to slash prices unsustainably.
Deflation Fallout:
Intense competition has hurt multiple industries — from snack brands to EVs and coffee chains.
The Chinese government and trade bodies have urged an end to “involution” (cutthroat pricing).
Xi Jinping recently called for a crackdown on disorderly price competition.
Bestore’s Bet:
By aligning with a state-owned company, Bestore hopes to gain supply chain and logistics support, stabilizing its operations.
Insight:
Bestore’s restructuring is a sign of deeper stress in China’s private sector, as businesses facing shrinking margins and weak demand turn to state backing for survival.
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