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.
Market Snapshot: Gold prices ticked up for a second day as traders grew more confident the Federal Reserve will resume rate cuts later this year. Spot Gold: $3,311.64 (+0.3%) Bloomberg Dollar Index: 1,189.37 (-0.1%) YTD Performance (Gold): +~25%, trading just under $200 from April’s all-time high 🔑 What’s Driving the Move 1. Rate-Cut Expectations Climb Investors are increasingly betting on at least two Fed rate cuts in 2025, with Goldman Sachs pulling forward its forecast to September . Lower rates typically reduce the opportunity cost of holding gold , boosting demand. 2. Dollar Under Pressure The U.S. dollar continues to slide — down nearly 11% YTD , its worst half-year performance since 1973 . A weaker dollar makes gold cheaper for non-U.S. investors and often supports price gains. 3. Geopolitical & Trade Risk With Trump’s tariff deadline looming on July 9 , uncertainty is back on the table. Traders are watc...