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.
Sharpest Drop Since 2021 as Economic Pessimism Spreads US consumer confidence fell 7 points in February to 98.3 , marking the third consecutive decline and the largest drop since August 2021. The report, released by The Conference Board , showed worsening perceptions of labor conditions, future incomes, and business outlook . Stocks and bond yields declined following the data , as recession fears intensified . Consumers Cutting Back on Major Life Plans A Wells Fargo study found over half of Americans are delaying major financial decisions , citing economic uncertainty and Trump’s tariff threats . Key postponements include : Home purchases (one-third of respondents) Education plans (one in six) Retirement plans (one in eight) Wall Street Selloff Deepens The Magnificent 7 stocks tumbled into correction territory , with a $1.6 trillion market value loss since December. Tesla led the declines, plunging...