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.
Earnings Miss 1HFY2025 Core Net Profit : RM7.1m After adjustments (NRV write-down + onerous provision of RM22m). Only 29% of full-year forecast achieved , well below expectations. Key Issue : Earnings miss reflects weaker ASPs and thinner margins. Analyst Downgrades BIMB Securities Research : Cut rating from Neutral to Sell . Slashed earnings forecasts: FY2025: -48% FY2026: -68% FY2027: -72% Cited Thai sugar dumping risk after China banned liquid sugar imports, putting pressure on ASPs. MBSB Research : Downgraded from Neutral to Sell . Expects recovery delayed to FY2026 instead of FY2025. Pegged lower TP of RM0.71 (vs current price RM0.98). Warned of price war among AP players with excess inventory. Market Reaction Shares fell 1.5% to RM0.98 (Aug 26). YTD performance : -19%. MSM is one of only two refiners in Malaysia (the other is unlisted Central Sugars Refinery und...