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.
China’s factory activity unexpectedly deteriorated in July, with the official manufacturing PMI dropping to 49.3 from June’s 49.7, marking its weakest reading in three months and signaling a contraction despite the recent tariff truce with the US. The figure missed economists’ median forecast of 49.7, raising fresh concerns over the durability of the country’s economic momentum. Key Data: Manufacturing PMI: 49.3 (vs. 49.7 in June; est. 49.7) Non-Manufacturing PMI: 50.1 (vs. 50.5; est. 50.2) Construction Input Prices: 54.5 (vs. 48.3), driven by rising steel and building material costs. Market Reaction: CSI 300 Index: Down ~1% after the release. China Government Bonds: Futures rose as investors sought safety. Drivers Behind the Slowdown: Weak Exports: Early signs that shipments are slowing despite front-loading ahead of tariffs. Soft Domestic Demand: Consumer spending remains tepid amid persistent uncertainty. Seasonal & Weather Di...