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.
Malaysia’s upcoming Budget 2026 (to be tabled on Oct 10 ) is expected to mark a strategic shift — from post-pandemic recovery to long-term structural reform and fiscal consolidation . While Budget 2025 emphasized tourism revival and domestic consumption, Budget 2026 aims to sustain growth, improve fiscal health, and accelerate green and digital transformation under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) . Macroeconomic Outlook Leading institutions UOB , OCBC , and CIMB Securities broadly agree that: Fiscal deficit is likely to narrow to 3.4–3.6% of GDP , driven by improved tax compliance and the upcoming carbon tax . Development expenditure will remain steady at around RM86 billion , aligned with infrastructure priorities. GDP growth forecasts range between 3.8% (OCBC) and 5.5% (UOB) . Inflation is projected to ease, allowin...