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.
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite opened at fresh record highs Monday after the US and European Union struck a trade pact slashing tariffs, setting a bullish tone for a week filled with megacap earnings, a Fed meeting, and a looming tariff deadline. S&P 500: +0.08% Nasdaq Composite: +0.28% Dow Jones: -0.10% at 44,855.92, roughly 215 points from its record. Trade Deal Boosts Confidence President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to cut EU import tariffs to 15% , half the initially threatened 30%. The move follows a series of deals with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines last week, fueling hopes that a global trade war may be avoided. Markets Brace for Key Earnings & Fed Meeting The rally faces a critical test as Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple —four of the “Magnificent Seven”—report earnings this week. Alphabet recently sparked AI optimism with a major capex boost. Tesla edged ...