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.
Gold has been quietly reaching record prices this year, outperforming all major stock markets when measured in US dollar terms. Despite this strong performance, gold’s current bull run seems to stem from its fundamental properties as a reliable store of value, particularly in uncertain economic times. Key Insights: Gold as 'Fallback Money' : The latest surge in gold prices is being driven by its role as "fallback money" — a durable and fungible asset that holds value independently of any single country's creditworthiness. While gold has historically been linked to global instability or "apocalyptic thinking," its primary appeal is as a store of value in times of crisis or economic uncertainty. For individuals or countries facing economic instability, such as hyperinflation or geopolitical risks, gold provides a means to preserve wealth when traditional currencies fail. Central Bank and Institutional Demand : The recent bull market in gold was initiated b...