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.
Japan Defies Regional Weakness
Japanese equities surged on Friday, led by strong corporate earnings and positive trade policy developments, contrasting with broader losses across Asia. The Topix index broke above 3,000 for the first time ever, while the Nikkei 225 jumped 2%.
SoftBank Group surged up to +11% after returning to Q1 profitability.
Sony extended its rally with a +6% gain, following a 4.1% rise on Thursday.
Gains were supported by optimism that the U.S. may remove overlapping tariffs on Japanese goods.
Earnings Mixed, But Sentiment Strong
Despite some cautious guidance from exporters like Toyota, earnings from Sony and Honda beat expectations, helping fuel the rally. Tokyo’s trade officials confirmed that U.S. negotiators promised to refine overlapping tariffs, reducing double-duty concerns.
US Market Influence & Fed Watch
Asian markets were weighed down by a late dip on Wall Street:
S&P 500 e-minis rose 0.3%, and Nasdaq futures added 0.4%, signaling a potential third straight day of gains.
Market sentiment remains supported by a “dovish pivot” at the Fed, as noted by IG analyst Tony Sycamore.
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran for a Fed board seat and may tap Christopher Waller to replace Jerome Powell after May 2026.
Bond Yields & Currency Moves
The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose to 4.2461%, slightly higher after a weak 30-year bond auction.
The U.S. dollar rose 0.1% to ¥147.27, while the euro held steady at US$1.1669.
The Dollar Index edged up to 98.124.
Other Asian Markets Ease
MSCI Asia Pacific ex-Japan fell 0.4%, led by declines in Hong Kong.
Hang Seng Index dropped 0.6%, dragged by tech.
CSI 300 dipped 0.1%; Australia's ASX slipped 0.2%.
Macro & Commodities Check
Japan's household spending rose 1.3% YoY, below expectations, signaling soft consumption.
Brent crude was steady at US$66.45, while WTI crude hovered at US$63.81.
Gold dipped 0.4%, last at US$3,391.16/oz.
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