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.
World stocks lingered just below record highs on Monday, with investor sentiment dampened by concerns over China's economic recovery and political uncertainty in France, despite optimism surrounding a potential US interest rate cut as early as September. China's Economic Struggles Chinese stocks faced another challenging day, with the blue-chip index marking its fifth consecutive losing session. The central bank's new money market operations aimed to boost liquidity were not enough to alleviate investor disappointment over the lack of substantial policy stimulus. Economic recovery remains weak, compounded by rising geopolitical tensions and significant foreign capital outflows. French Political Upheaval In France, an unexpected election result saw a leftist alliance overtaking the far-right, preventing Marine Le Pen's National Rally from gaining control. While this outcome relieved some investors, it also brought concerns about the potential reversal of President Emmanu...