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.
Asian currencies surged on Wednesday as China's new stimulus measures boosted investor confidence. The Thai baht reached a 30-month high, rising 0.9% , and has gained approximately 11% this quarter. This rapid appreciation is putting pressure on Thailand's central bank to intervene, potentially cutting interest rates to maintain trade competitiveness and protect the tourism sector . The rally in the baht, one of Southeast Asia's top performers this year with a 4.6% increase , is driven by political stability , foreign inflows , and record-high gold prices . However, concerns are growing about its impact on exporters , leading to calls for the Bank of Thailand to address the currency's strength. The Thai finance ministry and central bank are set to meet next week to discuss these issues and the country's inflation target. Other Asian currencies also saw gains. The Malaysian ringgit appreciated by 1.1% to 4.105 per US dollar , its highest level since June 2021,...