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 retail sector delivered a softer-than-expected start to 2026, with slowing consumer spending prompting a downgrade in full-year outlook , highlighting growing pressure on household purchasing power. Retail Growth Falls Short Despite Festive Boost Retail sales rose 3.7% YoY in 1Q2026 , below expectations of 4.4% , despite support from: Chinese New Year and Hari Raya festive spending RM4.6 billion in government cash aid The weaker-than-expected performance suggests that cost-of-living pressures are outweighing seasonal demand support . Full-Year Outlook Cut on Weak Consumer Sentiment Retail associations lowered their 2026 growth forecast to 3.8% (from 4.0%) , citing: Middle East conflict impacting inflation Rising costs eroding consumer purchasing power Key point: Slower retail growth reflects cautious consumer behaviour amid inflation and geopolitical uncertainty. Tourism and Fiscal Support Provide Partial Cushion Malaysia attracted...