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.
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis announced plans to wind up operations at MorphoSys sites in Munich, Germany , and Boston, USA , by the end of 2025 , affecting approximately 330 jobs . Key Details Acquisition Context : Novartis acquired MorphoSys earlier this year and is restructuring as part of an evaluation of its R&D setup . Impact on Employees : Affected employees, approximately 330 roles , were notified in mid-November . Novartis has committed to supporting impacted individuals through the transition. Official Statement : "We have communicated our intention to exit the MorphoSys sites by end of 2025," said a Novartis spokesperson in a statement to Reuters. The decision reflects Novartis' evolving research and development priorities .