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.
Blackstone Inc has raised about US$22 billion (RM96.21 billion) in capital for a new direct lending fund aimed at institutional investors, according to a statement. This fund features a hybrid structure between drawdown funds —where investors commit to locking up capital for a set period—and evergreen funds , which allow investors to buy in and out periodically. The fund focuses on large-cap and middle-market lending transactions. This latest fund adds to Blackstone’s well-known Blackstone Private Credit Fund (BCRED) , a US$62 billion business development company that targets retail investors. Blackstone’s credit business also handles funds from insurance companies , pensions , and sovereign wealth funds . Private credit firms are in a race to amass significant capital to remain competitive and make larger deals. For instance, Ares Management Corp recently raised US$34 billion for its own direct lending fund, while Goldman Sachs has increased its fundraising goals in response ...