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.
Gold prices plunged sharply, erasing all year-to-date gains , as escalating Middle East tensions triggered a surge in inflation expectations and interest rate risks , prompting aggressive selling across precious metals. Gold Sees Fastest Selloff in Decades Gold extended its losses for a ninth consecutive session , falling as much as 8.8% to near US$4,100 per ounce , before stabilising around US$4,225 . This dramatic decline follows what was already the worst weekly drop since 1983 , highlighting the intensity of the current selloff. Inflation Shock Drives Rate-Hike Expectations The key driver behind the decline is a sharp shift in macro expectations: Oil prices remain elevated , fuelling inflation concerns Markets are increasingly pricing in higher-for-longer interest rates Central banks may delay or reverse easing cycles Higher interest rates reduce the attractiveness of gold, as it does not generate yield , pushing investors toward...