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.
Market Overview Singapore stocks opened lower on Wednesday , mirroring US market declines as concerns over chip trade restrictions and weak consumer confidence pressured tech stocks. Straits Times Index (STI) fell 0.23% to 3,906.84 , with 122 gainers vs. 90 decliners. US markets struggled , with the Nasdaq falling 1.35% and the S&P 500 down 0.47% , as potential semiconductor export restrictions to China weighed on sentiment. Singapore Market Performance & Sector Highlights Singapore equities gained 6% in the past three months , outpacing ASEAN markets , driven by: Financial sector (+13%) , supported by rate alignment with the US. Telecom & Utilities sector growth , fueled by AI-driven data center expansion . Government bond yields remain stable , benefiting from steady inflation and interest rate trends. Stocks to Watch OCBC Bank (O39.SG) : Q4 net profit rose 4% YOY to S$1.69 billion , but...