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.
Fed’s Policy Pivot Lifts Sentiment Asian equities climbed Monday, buoyed by growing conviction that the U.S. Federal Reserve will resume rate cuts in September . Futures now price in an 84% probability of a 25bps cut and as much as 100bps of easing by mid-2026 , bringing the Fed funds rate into the 3.25%–3.50% range . Treasuries & Dollar: Yields fell sharply on Friday, with the U.S. 10-year note at 4.263% , down 7bps. The dollar weakened, supporting risk assets. Market implication: Lower borrowing costs improve the earnings outlook, but also signal Fed concern over slowing employment and growth. JPMorgan’s Bruce Kasman warned that while easing is supportive, risks remain skewed toward a downshift in global growth . Inflation in Focus – Data Could Test Euphoria The rally faces an immediate test from Friday’s release of the U.S. PCE index , the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge. Core inflation is expected to rise to ...