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.
As dividend season heats up, investors are eyeing which Malaysian bank gives the most back to its shareholders —and Maybank (1155.MY) is clearly leading the pack with a generous 73% dividend payout ratio . What is Dividend Payout Ratio? It measures how much of a company’s net earnings are returned to shareholders as dividends. Formula: Per-share: DPS / EPS × 100% Aggregate: Total Dividends / Net Profit × 100% Example: If Maybank earns 83.61 sen per share and pays 61 sen in dividends → 73% payout = RM73 returned for every RM100 earned. Who’s the Most Generous? MAYBANK – 73% payout : Prioritizes shareholder rewards with stable, high cash returns. HLBANK : More conservative—prefers reinvesting for growth and resilience. CIMB, RHBBANK, PBBANK : Balanced strategy—combines dividends with regional expansion and risk management. Why a High Payout Ratio Matters 1. Real Cash Flow: Great for income-seeking investors like retirees. 2. Matu...