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.
Key Takeaways: BLS revision: US employment from April 2024–March 2025 was revised down by 911,000 jobs , highlighting weaker labor momentum than initially reported. Broader context: The downgrade follows sharp downward revisions in May and June, when job losses totaled 258,000. Policy implications: Economists see limited impact on near-term Fed policy, with markets still expecting a rate cut next week . Political backdrop: Tensions rise as President Trump dismissed the BLS commissioner, raising concerns over the independence of US economic data. Major Payroll Revision Underscores Slowdown The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported Tuesday that US payrolls expanded by 911,000 fewer jobs in the year through March than previously estimated. This adjustment, based on more comprehensive unemployment insurance tax records (QCEW), points to a labor market that was already stalling before the latest tariff-related disruptions. The previo...