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.
As we cross the halfway mark of 2025, Singapore’s REIT market continues to demonstrate its dual strengths—defensive income and thematic growth. Despite the US Federal Reserve maintaining rates, S-REITs have outperformed expectations, buoyed by declining domestic interest rates and resilient sector fundamentals. Top Performers YTD: Sector Themes Emerging Three names have led the S-REIT pack in 1H25, each anchored by different macroeconomic drivers: Frasers Hospitality Trust YTD Gain: 21.4% | Yield: 3.10% Frasers Hospitality Trust is riding the post-pandemic travel rebound . Improving occupancy and rising room rates have driven both earnings and investor sentiment. While the yield is lower than peers, capital gains reflect renewed confidence in global tourism. CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT) YTD Gain: 13.8% | Yield: 5.0% As Singapore’s flagship retail and office REIT , CICT benefits from consistent consumer footfall and strong leasing activity in Grad...