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 stocks surged to all-time highs as the Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire agreement eased geopolitical tensions. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% , marking its 52nd record high in 2024, while the Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6% and 0.3% , respectively. Key Drivers Geopolitical Relief : Investors welcomed news of a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah , fueling market confidence and extending gains into a seventh consecutive session . Trump Tariff Plans : Wall Street largely shrugged off Donald Trump’s tariff proposals on Canada, Mexico, and China. Analysts view the move as a negotiating tactic rather than a significant policy shift. Sector Performance : Tech stocks , led by Microsoft , outperformed due to lower exposure to tariff risks. Automakers like General Motors and Ford ...