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 Takeaways: Apple launched the iPhone 17 lineup , including the new iPhone Air , while keeping prices unchanged despite tariff pressures. The company is expected to absorb over US$1 billion in tariff costs this quarter, signaling a strategy to defend market share. Apple stock fell 1.6% post-event , reflecting investor caution on margins and unit growth. Supplier risk: Broadcom (-2.3%) and Qualcomm (-1.1%) declined as Apple unveiled new in-house connectivity chips. iPhone 17 Lineup: A Pricing Signal Apple unveiled the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and iPhone Air , alongside the Apple Watch refresh and AirPods Pro 3. iPhone Air : thinner design, high-density battery, new A19 Pro processor. Starting price US$999 , slotted between base and Pro models. iPhone 17 : starts at US$799 for 256GB, same as last year’s model but with double the base storage. iPhone 17 Pro : US$1,099 for 256GB, unchanged vs. last...