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.
Global markets are showing a clear rotation away from mega-cap tech into traditional sectors, lifting the Dow to record levels. However, Malaysia’s KLCI remains weak, facing technical resistance despite a stronger ringgit and stable global backdrop. Global markets are rotating but Malaysia is not benefiting. What’s Really Happening In the US, markets are diverging: Dow rising → driven by industrials and healthcare Nasdaq falling → dragged by Big Tech weakness Clear shift away from AI leaders into non-tech sectors At the same time in Malaysia: KLCI is struggling to gain momentum Market remains range-bound with cautious sentiment Technical resistance continues to cap upside Even with a stronger ringgit, equity sentiment remains fragile. Why? This tells us two important things: 1. Global rotation is underway Capital is moving out of crowded tech trades into more defensive or value sectors. 2. Malaysia lacks strong catalysts Unlike US industrials or AI markets, Bursa does not have a clear ...