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.
BOT’s Unexpected Move Spurs Market Rally The Bank of Thailand (BOT) cut its interest rate by 0.25 percentage points , surprising economists. The move aims to support economic growth and weaken the baht to boost exports. 16 out of 26 economists in a Reuters poll had expected no change in policy. Market Reactions Thai stocks jumped 2% , rebounding after two consecutive sessions of losses. The baht remained flat , despite expectations of further rate cuts later this year. Other Asian markets gained : Philippines (+1.3%) Malaysia (+1.2%) China (+1%) Regional Currency Movements Singapore dollar, Malaysian ringgit, and Indonesian rupiah fell 0.2% . Taiwan dollar traded flat after Taiwan revised down its 2025 GDP forecast to 3.14% from 3.29% . US dollar index gained 0.3% , recovering from an 11-week low. Outlook & Future Risks Analysts expect one or two more rate cuts if the US imposes tariffs on Thailand or if global growth slows. BOT ...