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 equities extended their decline, with the S&P 500 falling to a six-month low , as escalating Middle East tensions heightened inflation fears and interest rate uncertainty . Broad Selloff as War Enters Fourth Week Markets weakened sharply as the US-Israel-Iran conflict showed no signs of easing , raising concerns of a prolonged geopolitical shock. S&P 500 Index fell 1.51% to 6,506 Nasdaq C omposite Index dropped 2.01% Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.96% The Russell 2000 also slid 2.26% , now down about 10% from recent highs , signalling broader market weakness. Since the conflict began in late February, major indices have fallen 4%–7% , reflecting deteriorating sentiment. Inflation Concerns Drive Rate Expectations Higher Rising oil prices continue to push inflation expectations upward , prompting markets to reassess monetary policy. Futures markets now suggest the Fede...