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.
Malaysia’s strengthening ringgit — up more than 10% against the US dollar in 2025 — is increasingly squeezing earnings for export-heavy glove makers, just as the industry struggles with excess capacity and weak pricing power. While a firm ringgit reduces macro risk and improves foreign investor confidence, it directly compresses margins for companies whose revenues are overwhelmingly USD-denominated. What’s Happening on the Ground Over 90% of glove sales are priced in US dollars A stronger ringgit means lower translated revenue in MYR Weak demand recovery forces producers to sacrifice pricing to defend volume At Top Glove , Q1 sales volume grew 17% YoY — but average selling prices fell 11% , largely due to FX effects. Peers such as Hartalega and Supermax have also reported earnings pressure or widening losses. Why Glove Makers Are More Exposed Than Other Exporters Unlike palm oil or large tech exporters, glove...