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.
Haidilao International Holding Ltd (6862.HK) shares fell as much as 6.5% in Hong Kong , the sharpest intraday drop since April, after China’s largest hotpot chain reported a second straight half-year revenue decline. Earnings Snapshot Revenue : ¥20.7B (▼3.7% YoY), in line with consensus. Net Income : ¥1.76B (▼14% YoY). Store Count : Self-operated restaurants fell to 1,322 from 1,343 a year earlier as the group continued to shut underperforming outlets. Table Turnover : Dropped 9.5% YoY , underscoring demand pressure. Key Headwinds Weak Macro & Frugal Consumers : Slowing economic growth in China is weighing on discretionary spending, particularly at premium chains like Haidilao. Price War in Food Delivery : Intense promotions — ¥1 drinks, free delivery, flash discounts — are pulling traffic away from dine-in restaurants. Competition in Catering : Increased rivalry across China’s F&B sector continues to erode Haidilao’s traffic base. Street Commentary...