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.
The US dollar fell on Monday as polling data showed no clear lead in the US presidential election, easing expectations of a Trump victory that previously bolstered the dollar and Treasury yields. An index tracking the greenback dropped by the most in over six weeks, with major peers like the yen and Australian dollar gaining against it. Treasury futures rose as investors sought stability. The latest poll, showing Kamala Harris ahead by 47%-44% in Iowa , has investors cautious, while the US dollar gauge and 10-year Treasury yields had recently reached highs amid speculation of a Trump win. His support for looser fiscal policy and high tariffs has raised concerns about inflation, potentially impacting Treasuries. Meanwhile, oil prices rose, extending gains as OPEC+ delayed a production hike , and West Texas Intermediate climbed more than 1%. In China, officials announced measures to attract foreign investment in publicly traded firms, just days before the US election, which could...