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 Insights: Global Growth Slowdown : The Institute of International Finance (IIF) projects global GDP growth to moderate to 2.7% in 2025 , down from 2.9% in 2024 . Emerging markets (EMs) are expected to grow 3.8% , maintaining a higher growth rate than developed economies but still facing challenges. Decline in Capital Flows : Capital flows to EMs are projected to decline by 24% to $716 billion in 2025, compared to $944 billion this year. China faces the largest impact, with $25 billion in outflows expected for 2025, marking a significant reversal in foreign investment trends. Tariffs and Policy Uncertainty : President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats are dampening investor sentiment. If proposed 60% tariffs on China and 10% tariffs globally are implemented, it could worsen global trade disruptions , further straining EM capital flows. Regional ...