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.
Malaysia’s economy expanded 4.4% YoY in 2Q 2025, matching 1Q’s pace, as robust domestic demand offset a slowdown in exports, according to the Department of Statistics. The figure was just shy of the 4.5% advance estimate . On a seasonally-adjusted basis, GDP growth accelerated to 2.1% QoQ from 0.7% in 1Q. BNM’s View Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Datuk Seri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said the economy faces tariff-related uncertainty “from a position of strength,” with the official 2025 growth forecast of 4.0%-4.8% deemed broad enough to capture current risks. Tariff Impact: The US recently imposed a 19% import tariff on Malaysian goods as part of wider trade actions, alongside a blanket 10% tariff since April. A threatened 100% tariff on imported semiconductors — which account for ~one-third of Malaysia’s US exports — remains a key risk. The additional 9% tariff is within B...