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.
Key Takeaway Malaysia’s industrial production surged +3.0% YoY in June , sharply beating expectations of +1.2% and accelerating from May’s +0.3% — a signal that 2Q GDP growth is likely to hit 4.5%, with upside potential to 4.6% , according to RHB. Sector Drivers Manufacturing and mining led the improvement, suggesting momentum is broadening beyond export recovery. The upbeat print reflects resilience in domestic output despite global trade uncertainties. Risks on the Radar RHB flags two headwinds ahead: the White House’s proposed 100% tariff on foreign semiconductors , and Malaysia’s expanded Sales and Services Tax (SST) . However, the tariff being reduced to 19% versus the initially announced 25% has softened sentiment risk and could support external demand over time. Policy Tailwinds The 13th Malaysia Plan — with MYR611 billion in funding and a projected annual GDP growth target of 4.5%-5.5% thr...