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.
Major US travel companies, including Marriott International , Booking Holdings , and Vail Resorts , are preparing for a challenging 2025 by trimming budgets and workforce in response to reduced demand from lower-income travelers and slowing top-line growth . Marriott plans to cut US$80-90 million in annual costs and lay off 800 corporate employees in Q1 2025 . The move aims to create a "leaner and more efficient" operation, following weak earnings this year. Booking.com has slowed hiring, increasing its workforce by just 3% in 2024, compared to 13% the previous year, and may cut jobs further. Vail Resorts aims for US$100 million in annual savings by 2026 , including a 14% reduction in corporate staff. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is targeting US$300 million in cost savings by 2026 through automation an...