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.
After the bell, Texas Instruments (TXN) delivered Q2 earnings that beat expectations, but its Q3 guidance fell short — and that was enough to rattle the entire analog chip space. Market Reaction: TXN : -11% after-hours ADI (Analog Devices): -5.4% MCHP (Microchip Tech): -6.4% NXPI (NXP Semi): -5.5% ON (ON Semi): -6.8% STM (STMicroelectronics ADRs): -6.9% What Spooked Investors? While Q2 was solid, TXN’s Q3 EPS guidance midpoint came in at $1.48 vs $1.51 est. That small miss matters — because investors are desperate for signs of a robust chip rebound , especially after a weak 2024. Context from the Call: Recovery is happening , but slowly and unevenly. Consumer electronics and industrials show promise. Auto chips ? Still weak. CEO Haviv Ilan: "Cycle will be less pronounced and more shallow." Investor Takeaway: This isn’t about Q3 earnings — it's about the shape of the recovery. For analog chipmakers, this may be a lon...