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.
Asian banks’ record lending surge into the Gulf is facing a major stress test as escalating tensions involving Iran threaten broader financial instability across the Middle East. Record Lending Now Under Pressure Asian and Chinese banks extended over US$15 billion in loans to the Middle East in 2025 , triple the previous year and the highest on record, according to Bloomberg-compiled data. Most of the financing flowed into: Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates The region has become a key destination for Asian capital as Gulf states push forward with large-scale economic transformation and infrastructure projects. Key Point: A record US$15 billion Gulf lending boom is now at risk due to escalating geopolitical tensions. Conflict Raises Financial Uncertainty The latest escalation — involving US and Israeli missile strikes on Iran — has heightened concerns that the conflict could disrupt capital flows and reshape regional lending strategies. Economists suggest banks may: Tighten exposur...