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.
China’s services sector saw a sharp rebound in July , with the S&P Global Services PMI jumping to 52.6 , its highest level since May 2024 — a clear signal that the summer travel boom is driving short-term resilience. Key Indicators S&P Services PMI : ▲ to 52.6 (vs 50.6 in June; Bloomberg forecast: 50.4) Export Orders : Fastest rise since Feb Employment : Hiring at highest pace in 12 months Selling Prices : ↑ for the first time in 6 months Business Confidence : Highest in 4 months What’s Driving It Peak summer season lifted tourism, transport, entertainment External demand picked up as global trade tensions eased Firms responded by expanding workforce and adjusting pricing Caution Signs Remain PBOC Survey : Job sentiment fell to worst on record in Q2 Official Services PMI : ↓ to 50 (vs 50.1), hinting divergence Weak Spots : Real estate and some consumer services still contract...