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 stock market closed lower on April 13, with the FBM KLCI falling 0.64% to 1,680.52 , as gains in energy counters were offset by weakness in financial and consumer stocks. Broad Market Weakness Despite Active Trading The broader market showed negative breadth , reflecting cautious sentiment: Losers: 760 vs Gainers: 402 Total trading value: RM2.64 billion Volume: 2.94 billion shares This indicates risk-off positioning , in line with global uncertainty driven by rising oil prices and geopolitical tensions. Energy Stocks Lead Gains Energy-linked counters outperformed, supported by higher crude prices: PETRONAS Chemicals Group Bhd +3.44% PETRONAS Dagangan Bhd +2.40% MISC Bhd +1.20% PETRONAS Gas Bhd +1.10% The rally reflects stronger earnings outlooks tied to elevated oil prices . Financials and Consumer Stocks Drag On the downside, key laggards included: Hong Leong Bank Bhd -1.72% CIMB Group Holdings Bhd ...