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.
Chinese battery giant CATL launched its first battery specifically designed for extended-range hybrids (EREVs) on Thursday, capitalizing on the fastest-growing segment in the electrified vehicle market. The new battery, called Freevoy , is the world's first hybrid battery with a range exceeding 400km (249 miles) , according to Gao Huan , Chief Technology Officer for CATL’s electric vehicle business in China. The Freevoy battery is already being used by several Chinese EV brands , including Li Auto , and will soon be installed in models from Geely and Chery . In total, nearly 30 hybrid models are expected to feature the Freevoy battery. EREVs feature larger battery packs than typical hybrids and can run solely on electricity, with a gasoline engine acting as a power source to recharge the batteries when they run low. These vehicles offer longer ranges than full EVs and are often priced lower than traditional gasoline cars, making them increasingly popular among Chinese consum...