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.
China’s trade volumes surged to record levels at the start of 2026, but escalating tensions in the Middle East now pose fresh risks to global shipping and export momentum. Key Takeaways China’s trade volumes surged above last year’s record levels before the Iran conflict erupted. Over 59 million containers were processed in the first nine weeks of 2026, up more than 12% year-on-year. Escalating tensions around Iran now threaten Middle East demand and global shipping routes. Record Container Throughput in Early 2026 More than 59 million containers moved through Chinese ports in the first nine weeks of the year — up over 12% year-on-year , according to the Ministry of Transport. The strong start extended the export surge seen in late 2025, when total outbound shipments reached US$3.8 trillion , a record high. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. noted that freight volumes from 20 major Chinese ports also exceeded 2025 levels. Key Point: China’s trade momentum was acceler...