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.
3M Co raised the lower end of its full-year adjusted profit forecast after strong demand for electronics and industrial products helped the company surpass quarterly profit expectations. Shares of 3M were up 4.2% at $140.5 in pre-market trading. An increase in demand for electronics used in vehicles and mobile phones boosted profits for the company, which had previously faced challenges as high inflation led consumers to delay major purchases. The industrial sector is also expected to benefit from the recent US Federal Reserve decision to cut borrowing costs in September, encouraging more consumer spending. 3M has implemented cost-cutting measures, including job reductions and spinning off its healthcare business, to counter the impact of a demand slowdown . Key highlights from the report: Sales in the transportation and electronics segment grew 1.8% year-on-year. Sales in the safety and industrial segment , which produces adhesives for industrial use, increased by 0.5% . 3M...