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.
Egypt is conducting a comprehensive survey to evaluate the impact of its sweeping economic reforms on its population, working closely with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ensure the most vulnerable are protected, according to the IMF’s regional head. The $8 billion IMF loan program , implemented to stabilize Egypt's economy amid a foreign-exchange crisis, has triggered significant changes, including currency devaluations and sharp price increases in fuel, bread, and electricity. These measures have placed additional pressure on the Egyptian population of over 106 million , many of whom are struggling with the economic fallout. During IMF Chief Kristalina Georgieva's upcoming visit to Cairo in early November, discussions will focus on Egypt’s social protection programs , aimed at mitigating the effects of these reforms. The new survey will likely reveal the impact of two years of economic strain caused by devaluations and price hikes on household spending, provid...