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.
Italian premium brake maker Brembo has posted moderate gains in first-half core earnings and revenue, thanks to strong performance in its Asian markets and robust business from maintaining older vehicles. This has helped counter a generally weak outlook for the automotive sector. Resilience Amidst Industry Contraction The automotive market faced a contraction in the first part of the year, with several major automakers, including Stellantis, Porsche, and Mercedes, reporting lower earnings. The recovery remains uncertain for the months ahead. "The market is really struggling, including in its premium segment," said Executive Chairman Matteo Tiraboschi in a post-earnings interview with Reuters. "With this background, increasing revenue and preserving profitability was an achievement." Financial Highlights EBITDA Growth: Brembo's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) increased by 2.1% to €351.4 million ($381 million) for the six ...