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.
Key Takeaways: Stronger Sector Outlook: Fitch Ratings expects Malaysia’s takaful sector to maintain strong growth in 2025, backed by regulatory reforms, digitalisation , rising public awareness , and macroeconomic stability . Upcoming Regulatory Enhancements: RBC2 Framework (effective Jan 2027) will align capital standards with global norms, including new catastrophe risk charges and revised reserve requirements . Hajah and Darurah Policy (implemented Jan 2025) now clarifies when conventional reinsurance can be used in takaful, especially under fund-threatening scenarios. Refined digital insurer entry rules (from Mar 2025) to ensure early-stage viability and drive innovation. Medical Takaful in Focus: Rising health claim costs due to medical inflation have prompted gradual repricing and the introduction of co-payment rules since Sept 2024 to manage affordability. Profitability an...