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.
Global oil markets are facing renewed disruption as Saudi Arabia reduces crude shipments to key Asian buyers , highlighting the deepening impact of the ongoing Middle East conflict on energy supply chains. Supply Cuts to China and India State producer Saudi Aramco is expected to ship around 40 million barrels to China in April , down from 48 million barrels in February . Shipments to India are also set to decline , with volumes estimated at ~23 million barrels , compared with 25–28 million barrels previously . The reductions reflect logistical disruptions and supply constraints caused by escalating tensions in the region. Strait of Hormuz Disruption Drives Market Shock The near closure of the Strait of Hormuz , a critical global oil transit route, has severely restricted flows from the Persian Gulf. In response, Saudi Arabia has rerouted some exports through its Yanbu port on the Red Sea , but capacity remains limit...