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.
Global stocks advanced, and longer-dated US yields slipped on Monday, kicking off a week filled with earnings reports and central bank meetings. Both the US and Britain may hint at potential interest rate cuts. Key events this week include US jobs data for July, manufacturing surveys, and eurozone GDP and inflation data. Markets are on edge with Big Tech earnings and the Federal Reserve's next moves in focus. Big Tech stocks saw gains but pulled back from earlier highs. Approximately 40% of S&P 500 companies, including Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and Meta Platforms, will report earnings this week. "The market fears that if Big Tech disappoints, it could drag down the entire market," said Quincy Krosby, LPL Financial’s chief global strategist. The US Treasury will outline its bond sale plans, while China's politburo meeting may introduce more stimulus following last week's surprise rate cuts. Markets anticipate the Federal Reserve will hint at a September rate ...