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.
Eurozone economic growth remains sluggish and dominated by downside risks, European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde said during a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday. The bloc’s economy has been stagnant for 18 months, with the long-anticipated recovery yet to materialize. Economic Outlook Speaking to the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs in Brussels, Lagarde painted a cautious picture: Short-Term Growth: Likely to weaken further, driven by a slowdown in the services sector and continued contraction in manufacturing. Medium-Term Risks: Geopolitical tensions and rising trade barriers are elevating uncertainties, particularly for the bloc's trade-dependent economy. "Survey-based data suggest that growth will be weaker in the short term," Lagarde said. "The medium-term economic outlook is uncertain, however, and dominated by downside risks." Trade barriers, she noted, could hinder manufacturing and investment, com...