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.
Thailand’s non-performing loans (NPLs) have surged to their highest level in three years, as both businesses and households struggle with debt repayment. The Bank of Thailand (BoT) is collaborating with the finance ministry to finalize relief measures aimed at easing the burden on vulnerable groups. Key Highlights Rising Bad Loans : 2.97% of commercial loans were non-performing as of September, up from 2.84% in the previous quarter , marking the highest ratio since Q3 2021. Debt-Relief Measures in Progress : Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is spearheading efforts to address 1.3 trillion baht (US$37 billion) in household and personal loans, proposing: Longer repayment periods . Interest suspensions . Fee Reductions for Banks : Banks will see a 50% cut in bailout fund fees , according to BoT assistant governor Suwannee Jatsadasak . Full details of the debt-relief measures are expected by the end of the...