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.
US equities opened the week modestly higher as investors positioned for a heavy catalyst stack — led by Big Tech earnings , the Federal Reserve policy decision , and rising political risk premiums . At the same time, gold surged above US$5,000/oz , reinforcing that risk appetite remains fragile and selective , not outright bullish. Market Snapshot (Early US Session) S&P 500 : +0.39% Dow Jones : +0.45% Nasdaq : +0.23% Breadth was positive, but gains were measured , reflecting caution ahead of event risk. Key Themes Driving Markets 1. “Magnificent 7” Earnings: The AI Payoff Test This week marks a critical checkpoint for the AI trade. Four Mega-cap names — Apple , Microsoft , Meta Platforms , and Tesla — report results. What markets want: Evidence that AI capex is translating into revenue Reassurance on margins, not just growth Forward guidance that justifies elevated valuations ...