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.
Real Estate Watch Mortgage rates in the U.S. fell for the fourth straight week, hitting 6.77% — the lowest level since early May. While still close to 7%, the drop offers some breathing room for potential buyers. What’s Driving the Shift? Cooling inflation expectations and Fed rate cut optimism. Softening in new purchase contracts (-2.3% in 4 weeks). Lower listings in 20 of the top 50 metro areas — a sign some sellers are holding back. Affordability Still a Challenge Despite better bargaining power for buyers, affordability remains tight. Many economists say significantly lower rates are needed to truly stimulate demand. MoneyMaster Take — Key Insights: Lower mortgage rates = slight relief for homebuyers. Housing market tilts toward buyers — more choice, more negotiation power. But affordability headwinds persist — don’t expect a boom.