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.
Luxury still turns heads—but investors haven’t been impressed lately. While brands like Hermès and Prada remain culturally iconic, their stocks have taken a hit since the post-pandemic boom faded. The reason? Overpricing, weak Chinese demand, and new tariff threats . Recent Performance (2-Year Declines) LVMH : -40% Kering (Gucci owner) : -50% Prada : -10% Luxury companies raised prices during the COVID boom to stay exclusive, but inflation and changing consumer habits left aspirational shoppers behind. What’s Changing Now? High-income consumers are thriving thanks to strong markets and tax cuts. Europeans feel more confident , and Chinese shoppers are cautiously spending again. Luxury stock valuations are near 15-year lows , making them more attractive. Bargain Valuations Prada : 14x 2026 earnings LVMH : <20x Moncler, Richemont, Kering : ~20x UBS says that when luxury trades this low, it outperforms 76% of the time (1–3 months) an...